Pirates top Tulane, 3-1

By Al Myatt
©2015 Bonesville.net
All rights reserved.

CLEARWATER, FL — East Carolina defeated Tulane 3-1 in double-elimination bracket play in the American Athletic Conference tournament at Bright House Field on Thursday night.

The Pirates improved to 2-0 in the event and 38-20 on the season. ECU will await the winner of an elimination game Friday between the Green Wave and Connecticut for a 1 p.m. matchup on Saturday.

The Tulane-UConn winner would need to beat the Pirates twice on Saturday to make Sunday's noon championship on ESPNU.

One win Saturday will send ECU to the winner-take-all title game.

The Green Wave (34-22) scored its run Thursday in the top of the first inning off ECU starter Evan Kruczynski (8-4), who went six and one-third innings before freshman Joe Ingle finished the contest for his seventh save.

The run off Kruczynski was unearned. The Pirates were charged with three errors. Kruczynski allowed three hits, walked three and struck out seven.

Ingle yielded three hits, two walks and fanned three.

Hunter Allen was aboard on a fielder's choice in the bottom of the third inning when a double by Charlie Yorgen advanced him to third base. Allen scored on an error to tie the score at 1.

In the fifth inning, Garrett Brooks reached on a throwing error and went to second on the play. Allen had an infield single and Yorgen bunted his way on to load the bases. A sacrifice fly by Reid Love put the Pirates ahead, 2-1.

ECU prevented a pair of potential tying runs at the plate in the top of the eighth as center fielder Brooks and left fielder Luke Lowery threw out Green Wave runners trying to score.

The Pirates loaded the bases in the eighth on a walk to Lowery, a single to right field by Travis Watkins and a hit batter (Eric Tyler). A walk to Brooks forced in a run for a 3-1 Pirates lead.

Yorgen's 2-for-3 effort led ECU's five-hit attack. Allen, Watkins and Tyler also had hits for the Pirates.

PAGE UPDATED 05/22/15 03:07 AM.

Copyright © Bonesville.net. All rights rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in any fashion. Information from Bonesville staff members, East Carolina University, Conference USA and other sources was used in composing and/or compiling the articles and data on this site. This site is editorially independent and is not affiliated with East Carolina University or Conference USA. View Bonesville.net's privacy policy. For advertising or other information, e-mail editor@bonesville.net.