FAYETTEVILLE — East Carolina posted its third straight victory and evened its record at 6-6 with an 11-8 win over Gardner-Webb at Segra Stadium on Tuesday night.

Freshman Austin Irby hit two home runs and senior Jake Hunter (1-0) pitched the last five innings with seven strikeouts for the Pirates (6-6).

The Bulldogs (6-8) led 8-7 before ECU scored four runs in the bottom of the sixth with the help of two wild pitches and a G-W error.

“It definitely wasn’t pretty,” said Coach Cliff Godwin on the Pirate radio network. “We’ll take the ugly win and get on the bus and go home.”

Irby’s first home run in the bottom of the first inning tied the score at 1.

ECU erupted for five runs in the second with a solo homer from catcher Walker Barron, a run-scoring by Alex Bouche and a 3-run shot by Irby.

John Collins had an RBI ground out for the Pirates in the fourth.

Barron went 3-for-4 and scored twice. Irby finished with four RBIs. Drew Downs had two hits, drew three walks and scored two runs.

Tanner Thomas had three of the Bulldogs’ 13 hits.

ECU begins a 3-game series with No. 24 Coastal Carolina on Friday at 4 p.m. at Clark-LeClair Stadium.