GREENVILLE — East Carolina rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth on Saturday at Clark-LeClair Stadium to take its series with Missouri State on a 4-3 walkoff win as Jacob Starling delivered a game-ending single up the middle with the bases loaded to bring in Carter Cunningham.
The No. 10 Pirates improved to 15-4 and will go for a sweep of the Bears (11-7) on Sunday at 1 p.m.
With ECU down 3-2 in its last turn at the plate, Justin Wilcoxen led off with a single down the right field line. Coach Cliff Godwin called on Cunningham to pinch hit and brought in Cam Murphy to run for Wilcoxen.
Cunningham singled to move Murphy to third. Alec Makarewicz singled through the right side to score Murphy with the tying run. An error loaded the bases before Starling connected with a 1-0 pitch from Trey Ziegenbein (0-2).
The visitors scored twice in the top of the fifth for a 2-0 lead. Luke Nowak and Starling drove in runs in the bottom of the fifth to tie the score.
Taeg Gollert had an RBI single in the seventh as Missouri State took a 3-2 lead.
Jake Hunter (1-1) pitched the final two and two-thirds innings to get the win. Carter Spivey started for the Pirates and was pulled after a leadoff walk in the sixth. Spivey allowed four hits, two runs (earned) with nine strikeouts and two walks.
Starling, Makrewicz and Lane Hoover had two hits each as ECU outhit the Bears, 12-6.
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