GREENVILLE — Turner Brown delivered a bases-loaded, walk-off single in the 11th inning Sunday afternoon as East Carolina edged visiting Memphis 3-2 to take the deciding game in the American Athletic Conference series.
The Tigers (27-25, 7-14 AAC) tied the score at 2 with a run in the top of the ninth on a single by Tyler Webb that brought in Kyle O’Keefe.
West Covington (2-1) induced a bases-loaded double play to end Memphis’ threat in the ninth.
Covington pitched the last two and two-thirds innings for the win. He inherited runners at second and third with one out in the ninth. Covington yielded two hits, walked one and struck out two.
Charlie Yorgen singled down the first base line off Blake Bennett (2-1) to start ECU (27-25, 6-15) in the bottom of the 11th.
Eric Tyler’s sacrifice bunt moved Yorgen to second. Pinch hitter Kirk Morgan was intentionally walked. Nick Barber came in to run for Morgan.
Travis Watkins drew a walk from Tigers reliever Alex Hicks before Brown stroked the game-winning hit on a full-count pitch.
Brown and Drew Henrickson had sacrifice flies in the fifth as the Pirates took a 2-1 lead.
Memphis went up 1-0 in the third when Brandon Grudzielanek’s single scored Webb.
Dwanya Williams-Sutton and Yorgen each had two hits for ECU as both teams totaled nine hits.
Freshman left-hander Jake Agnos started for the Pirates. He went five innings, allowing four hits with one earned run while walking two and striking out four.
Sam Lanier pitched one-third of an inning without a run.
Matt Bridges threw three innings, allowing one hit and one earned run while walking three and striking out two.
ECU hosts its final home game of the season on Tuesday when Campbell (23-28) pays a visit for a 6:30 p.m. contest. The Pirates topped the Camels 10-0 in Buies Creek on Feb. 22 for their first win of the season.
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