GREENVILLE —  East Carolina scored 11 runs in the first inning and went on to complete an American Conference sweep of Charlotte at Clark-LeClair Stadium on Saturday with a 15-5 triumph in seven innings.

The Pirates improved to 20-12-1 overall and 6-3 in league play going into a nonconference game at home against Duke (21-13) on Tuesday at 6 p.m. (ESPN+).

ECU coach Cliff Godwin credited the defense in support of starter Joe Webb (3-3) in the top of the first. When Webb returned to the mound in the second, he had an 11-0 lead to protect.

Braden Burress got the mammoth frame started with a double down the left field line. He scored on a single to right center by Davin Whitaker.

Burress went 3-for-5 with two doubles, a home run, three runs and two RBIs.

Jeff Sabater continued the first with an RBI single for a 2-0 lead. Walker Barron drove in a run and the Pirates went up, 4-0, on a wild pitch.

Matthew Lashley had a 2-run double. Burress’ second double of the inning brought in Lashley for a 7-0 lead for the Pirates. Whitaker drove in two runs with a single to right.

A 2-run homer to right center by Jack Herring pushed the lead to 11-0.

Burress had a solo homer in a 3-run third for ECU.

Charlotte (18-13, 3-6 American) got on the board with a bases-loaded walk to Robert Nedry in the fourth. Alec DeMartino had a 2-run double for the visitors in the fifth.

Whitaker singled to score Nick Parham for a 15-4 Pirates lead in the sixth.

Burress had a solo homer in a 3-run third for ECU.  The 49ers got a solo homer from DeMartino in the seventh.

ECU had a 16-10 lead in hits. Whitaker had a third straight 3-hit game in the series. Getting two hits each were Lanahan, Herring and Sabater.

Charlie Hoagland followed Webb to the mound in the fourth and went an inning and two-thirds.  Gavin Marley got the last out in the fifth and Alex Bouche pitched the last two innings.