GREENVILLE — North Carolina avoided being swept in its 3-game regular season series with East Carolina by taking a 2-1 win over the Pirates at Clark-LeClair Stadium on Wednesday.
In a game in which hits were scarce, the Tar Heels (29-17) scored first on a solo homer to left field by Vance Honeycutt in the top of the fourth inning.
No. 14 ECU (31-14) tied the score in the bottom of the fourth after a leadoff single to center by Jacob Starling. Jacob Jenkins-Cowart had an RBI single through the right side that brought in Starling, after he had stolen second.
UNC loaded the bases in the sixth on a walk to Jackson Van De Brake, an error and a single to right by Mac Horvath. Hunter Stokely reached on a fielder’s choice that allowed Van De Brake to score.
ECU outhit the visitors, 4-3.
Dalton Pence (4-1) got the win and Max Carlson picked up his save.
Attendance was 5.991 on a blustery evening.
“It was a tough night for hitting,” said Pirates coach Cliff Godwin. “But I thought our pitching was outstanding.”
Garrett Saylor started for the Pirates and went four innings with six strikeouts. Saylor, Danny Beal, Jake Hunter (3-2), Landon Ginn, Carter Spivey and Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkmab combined for 11 strikeouts.
ECU starts an American Athletic Conference series at Cincinnati on Friday at 5 p.m.
Leave a Reply