GREENVILLE — Bryson Worrell hit home runs from both sides of the plate for East Carolina in an 8-run third inning on Friday as the Pirates took a 17-1 win over Coppin State in the opening game of the Greenville regional in the NCAA Tournament.
ECU (43-18) will play again on Saturday at 7 p.m. against Virginia (39-17). a 7-2 winner over Coastal Carolina on Friday night.
The Pirates won their 19th straight game.
“I thought everybody did their job again today,” said ECU coach Cliff Godwin. ” … Offensively, I thought we made it very tough on their starter (Jordan Hamberg), who’s pretty good.”
Godwin liked the discipline of his hitters, who drew 11 walks.
Zach Agnos, Lane Hoover and Worrell walked in the bottom of the first before Jacob Jenkins-Cowart put the Pirates ahead to stay with a 2-run single up the middle.
Alec Makarewicz had a solo homer for ECU in the fourth, finishing with two hits and two RBIs,
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Worrell had four RBIs. Joey Rezek had two hits and three RBIs Jenkins-Cowart and Zach Agnos each had a hit and two RBIs.
The Pirates held a 14-8 lead in hits against the Eagles (24-29), who take on the Chanticleers (36-19-1) in an elimination game on Saturday at 1 p.m.
Danny Beal (5-1) pitched four scoreless innings of relief for ECU on Friday with one hit, no runs, no walks and six strikeouts for the win.
Starter Josh Grosz went two innings. He yielded five hits and one earned run while walking two and striking out three. Trey Yesavage, Merritt Beeker and Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman each threw a scoreless inning for the Pirates.
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