GREENVILLE — East Carolina scored four runs in the first inning and took the deciding game of its regular season series with UNC-Wilmington with a 7-3 win at Clark-LeClair Stadium on Tuesday night.

Braden Burress and Austin Irby each had two RBIs for ECU as the Pirates improved to 22-16 overall going into a 3-game American Athletic Conference series at Alabama-Birmingham (19-18) that gets underway Thursday at 6 p.m.

ECU is 7-5 in league play while the Blazers are 4-8.

Burress singled up the middle to start the bottom of the first for the Pirates. Jack Herring was hit by a pitch and a bunt single by Colby Wallace loaded the bases.

Dixon Williams had a run-scoring single to shortstop for a 1-0 ECU lead. Walker Barron’s ground out to the pitcher brought in Herring. John Collins grounded out to third, which scored Wallace.

The Pirates went in top, 4-0, on Irby’s RBI single to center.

A 2-run fifth for the Seahawks (18-19) included RBI singles by Brock Wills and Cole Nelson.

Irby’s RBI single in the sixth provided a 5-2 advantage. Burress drove in a pair with a single through the right side with one out in the sixth.

UNCW added a run in the seventh when Tanner Thach scored on a wild pitch.

Bradley Zayac (1-1) started and went two and two-thirds scoreless innings for the win. He allowed three hits and struck out three. UNCW starter Bromley Thornton (0-3) was charged with the loss.

Burress went 4-fpr-4 as ECU outhit the visitors, 10-8.