GREENVILLE — After the start of East Carolina’s first game in the 23rd annual Keith LeClair Classic was delayed almost two hours due to rain earlier in the day, the Pirates wasted little time in taking control Friday night in a 14-2 win over Rutgers in seven innings.

“Offense was relentless,” said ECU coach Cliff Godwin on the Pirate radio network. “I’m happy because we’re playing good baseball, … Good defense gives our pitchers confidence.”

ECU (5-4-1) took a 3-0 lead in the first as Austin Irby had a sacrifice fly, Jack Herring came home on a balk and Walker Barron had an RBI single.

That was sufficient support for junior left-hander Ethan Norby  and reliever Ethan Rose.

Norby (1-1) went five and two-thirds innings. He allowed six hits, and two runs (one earned) with no walks, two hit batters and 10 strikeouts.

Rose, a freshman right-hander, got the last four outs with no hits, one walk and a whiff.

ECU scored in each of the first five innings. Grady Lanahan had a 2-run homer in a 4-run second.

Irby had a 2-run homer in the third. The Scarlet Knights (4-4) yielded a pair of unearned runs in the fourth.

Nick Parham had an RBI and Davin Whitaker came home on a double steal as the Pirates added three runs in the fifth.

Irby went 3-for-3 with three RBIs as ECU led, 13-6, in hits. Jack Vogele had two hits.

The Pirates continue play in the LeClair Classic on Saturday at 4:30 p.m. against Western Carolina (7-2), a 4-3 winner over Troy (4-5) in the first game on Friday as Walker Fox homered twice.