GREENVILLE — East Carolina made short work of Charlotte on Thursday night with a 12-2 American Conference win in seven innings at Clark-LeClair Stadium.

The Pirates (18-12-1, 4-3 American) took control by scoring six runs with two out in the second inning for a 6-1 lead.

Davin Whitaker got ECU on the board with a 3-run triple for a 3-1 lead. Jack Herring had a 2-run single and Colby Wallace singled to bring in Herring as the Pirates went up, 6-1.

The 49ers (18-11, 3-4 American) had taken the initial lead on a solo homer down the right field line by Alec DeMartino in the top of the second off junior left-hander Luke Payne, a transfer from Tennessee.

Payne found out he was getting the start via text from Coach Cliff Godwin on Tuesday night.

Godwin wanted to give Ethan Norby his customary Friday start with the 3-game league series starting a day early because of Easter on Sunday.

The Pirates go for a series win on Friday at 6 p.m.

Payne got an early defensive boost when Herring made a leaping catch at the fence in right field to deny a home run on the first batter of the game.

Payne (1-0) went four innings. He allowed three hits and two runs (both earned) while walking three and striking out six.

Gavin Marley pitched one and one-third innings with one hit and one walk. Joe Webb went the last inning and two thirds. He yielded one hit and no walks while fanning five.

A 2-run homer by Walker Barron pushed the lead to 8-1 in the third.

Charlotte trimmed the margin to 8-2 in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Spencer Nolan.

The Pirates added four runs in the sixth. Whitaker had a towering 2-run homer to right. Colby Wallace had an RBI double and pinch hitter Michael Kalinich singled to left center to bring in Wallace and enable the 10-run rule with a scoreless seventh defensively.

Whitaker finished with two hits and five RBIs as the Pirates had a 9-5 lead in hits. Wallace had two hits and drove in a pair of runs. Herring had a hit and two RBIs.

The 49ers used six pitchers. Joseph Taylor (4-3) was charged with the loss.