GREENVILLE — East Carolina withstood a surge by Wichita State in the top of the ninth for a 6-5 American Athletic Conference win in the opener of a 3-game series on Friday night.
The Pirates (17-14, 3-1 AAC) led 6-2 going into the final frame, but the Shockers (12-17, 1-3) got the potential go-ahead run on base before Trey Yesavage came in to get the save with a game-ending strikeout.
ECU went ahead to stay with three runs in the second inning as Jacob Starling had a run-scoring single through the left side and Jacob Jenkins-Cowart delivered an RBI double down the left-field line.
The Pirates went ahead, 3-0, when Starling came home on a sacrifice bunt by Ben Newton.
Starling added an RBI single in the third and Alec Makarewicz doubled to bring in a run in the fifth. Jenkins-Cowart had a solo homer in the eighth.
Josh Moylan, Makarewicz, Starling and Jenkins-Cowart had two hits each as ECU outhit the visitors, 11-7.
Ryder Giles started and went seven innings for the win. He allowed three hits and one earned run with no walks and eight strikeouts.
Chuck Ingram and Xavier Casserilla hit homers for Wichita State.
The second game of the series is scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m.
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