CINCINNATI — East Carolina took an American Athletic Conference doubleheader on Friday at Cincinnati by scores of 9-4 in the afternoon and 6-3 in the nightcap.
The Pirates, ranked as high as No. 8, improved to 35-11 overall and 15-2 in the AAC.
The visitors scored four runs in the first inning of the first game after Bryant Packard drew a leadoff walk. Spencer Brickhouse had a one-out double to put runners at second and third. ECU went ahead on Turner Brown’s RBI single to left.
A bunt single by Alec Burleson brought in Brickhouse for a 2-0 lead. Two runs scored on a single to right by Thomas Francisco.
The Pirates added three runs in the third on an RBI double by Burleson, a run-scoring single by Lane Hoover and a sacrifice fly by Packard.
Jake Washer had a 2-run double in the seventh.
Brickhouse, Burleson and Washer each had two hits.
Left-hander Jake Agnos (7-2) pitched six scoreless innings. He yielded just three hits, walked three and struck out eight. Zach Barnes tossed the last three innings for his first save.
In the second game, ECU scored three times in the second inning on a bases-clearing double by Packard and never trailed. Francisco had a sacrifice fly in the third for a 4-0 lead.
After the Bearcats (22-24, 11-9 AAC) closed within 4-3 in the fourth, ECU responded with two runs in the fifth to finish the scoring. Burleson had an RBI double and Francisco had a run-scoring ground out to the right side.
Brickhouse and Burleson had two doubles each in the second game. Brady Lloyd also had a pair of hits.
Southpaw Jake Kuchmaner (5-1) pitched five and two-thirds innings. He allowed six hits, three runs (all earned) with four walks and two strikeouts. Sam Lanier, Gavin Williams and Evan Voliva (fourth save) comined to keep Cincinnati scoreless the rest of the way.
The closing game of the series is scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m.
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