HOUSTON — East Carolina bounced back from a 2-0 loss at Houston on Friday by taking a doubleheader from the Cougars on Saturday to win the American Athletic Conference series.
The Pirates took Saturday’s first game, 15-3, before rallying for a 3-1 victory in the second game.
The schedule for the series was adjusted with the threat of rain Sunday.
ECU, ranked as high as No. 11, improved to 24-7 overall and 8-1 in the AAC.
Houston slipped to 17-15 on the season and 3-6 in league games.
ECU’s Jake Washer had a home run in the seventh inning of the second game Saturday to tie the score at 1. Ryder Giles had an RBI single later in the frame that brought in Brady Lloyd with the go-ahead run. Spencer Brickhouse provided a 3-1 lead in the eighth with an RBI single that plated Turner Brown.
Evan Voliva (4-1) got the win in relief. Jake Kuchmaner started and went five and one-third innings. He allowed one earned run on four hits while walking one and striking out seven. Alec Burleson got his third save with two and one-third scoreless innings. Burleson yielded one hit, one walk and had four strikeouts.
The Pirates broke the shackles of Friday’s shutout with 14 hits in the first game Saturday.
Brickhouse had a grand slam and another homer. He went 3-for-4 with six RBIs and has hit eight homers for the season.
Brown was 4-for-6 in the first game of the doubleheader. Washer was 2-for-4 with three RBIs.
Tyler Smith (4-0) earned the win in the first game, yielding two runs (both earned) on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts in five innings. Gavin Williams was nicked for an unearned run with two strikeouts in three innings. Evan Odum pitched the ninth.
The Pirates visit UNC-Wilmington on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
The UNCW game Tuesday is at Wilimington
Thank you for the heads up, Gene. The error has been corrected. — Danny Whitford, Editor