GREENVILLE — Alec Burleson pitched eight scoreless innings and helped his own cause with an RBI double as East Carolina took a 3-0 win over Georgia Southern on Saturday at Clark-LeClair Stadium.
Matt Bridges pitched the final inning for his first save as the Pirates improved to 4-1.
Lane Hoover led off the bottom of the first for ECU, ranked as high as No. 16 nationally, with a single. Hoover stole second and scored to put the Pirates ahead to stay on a double down the left field line by Burleson.
Bryson Worrell doubled down the right field line to bring in Burleson for a 2-0 ECU lead.
The Pirates added a run in the fourth after Worrell’s leadoff double to right. A sacrifice bunt by Connor Norby moved Worrell to third and a sacrifice fly by Seth Caddell gave the Pirates a 3-0 advantage.
Burleson (1-0), a junior left-hander, allowed two hits and no walks while striking out seven.
“It might have been the best game that he has ever pitched at East Carolina,” said ECU coach Cliff Godwin of Burleson’s effort. “That is a veteran Georgia Southern lineup. They are older. They have an approach. Just the way that he was able to execute pitch after pitch was really impressive.”
Worrell went 3-for-4 as ECU outhit the Eagles, 8-3. Norby was 2-for-2.
Georgia Southern slipped to 3-2. Steven Curry was 2-for-4 to lead the Eagles at the plate.
The teams play a doubleheader Sunday beginning at 11 a.m.
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