GREENVILLE — East Carolina took a 17-3 win over Penn in seven innings on Friday in the series opener at Clark-LeClair Stadium.

It was the fourth straight triumph for the Pirates (11-7-1), who have averaged 15.5 runs during the winning streak.

ECU took a 4-0 lead in the first inning as Austin Irby had an RBI single, Alex Bouche delivered an RBI double and Jeff Sabater drove in a pair of runs with a single up the middle.

The Pirates scored nine runs in the fourth inning as Braden Burress had a pair of 2-run singles and Jack Herring belted a grand slam in addition to a double by Matthew Lashley that brought in Burress.

Colby Wallace had a 2-run single for ECU in the fifth and Irby connected for a solo homer in the sixth. Burress scored on a wild pitch in the sixth.

Ethan Norby started and went three and one-third innings for the Pirates. He allowed six hits and three runs (one earned) with four walks and four strikeouts.

Joe Webb (2-2) turned in two and two-thirds innings for the decision. He yielded no runs, no hits and no walks with five strikeouts.

Bouche pitched one inning with one hit, no runs, two walks and one whiff.

ECU had a 16-7 lead in hits. Burress, Irby and Wallace had three hits each. Burress and Herring had four RBIs apiece.

Nick Spaventa had a solo homer for Penn (2-9) in the third to cut the Pirates’ lead to 4-3.

Game two of the series is scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m.