CINCINNATI — East Carolina topped Cincinnati, 12-10, on Sunday to win the American Athletic Conference opening series two games to one.
The Pirates (16-13) led 9-3 but the Bearcats (10-6) came back to take a 10-9 lead.
ECU got the tying run in the sixth as Jacob Starling came home on an error on a single to center by Jacob Jenkins-Cowart.
The Pirates went ahead in the seventh after Zach Agnos walked and Lane Hoover doubled to right. Carter Cunningham singled to bring in Agnos.
Agnos tripled to right to start the ninth and came home on a single by Hoover for a 12-10 lead.
Cincinnati had the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth before a pop-up ended the game.
Hoover went 5-for-6 for ECU with two RBIs as ECU had an 18-13 lead in hits. Jenkins-Cowart was 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Alec Makarewicz had two hits and drove in three runs. Agnos had a pair of hits and scored three runs.
Joe Powell and Ryan Nicholson hit home runs for the Bearcats.
The Pirates used 11 pitchers, including Friday starter Jake Kuchmaner. Ben Terwilliger (1-0) picked up his first win with two and two-thirds innings of relief. Bradley Wilson got the final out for his first save.
ECU hosts Old Dominion (20-6) on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. The Monarchs topped the Pirates, 9-8, in 10 innings in Norfolk on March 15.
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