BOCA RATON, FL — When it came to insurance for East Carolina on Thursday night, pinch hitter Michael Kalinich was better than Geico, Liberty Mutual or Progressive.

Kalinich had a 2-run double in the top of the ninth inning to expand a 4-3 Pirates’ lead to 6-3. ECU added another run on a ground out by Austin Irby.

The insurance runs prevented a walk-off by Florida Atlantic, which scored twice in the bottom of the ninth, before Colby Wallace came to the mound from third base to notch his first save in a 7-5 ECU win.

“Kalinich pinch hit for (Brayden) Bachman and drove in two,” said Coach Cliff Godwi on the Pirate radio network. “We needed every run we could get.”

The Pirates improved to 31-21-1 overall and 15-10 in the American Conference, one game behind Texas San Antonio (16-9), which was dealt a 7-6 loss at home by Alabama Birmingham (14-11), which remained one game behind second-place ECU in the league race.

The Pirates took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first against Owls ace James Litman after Grady Lanahan led off with a single up the middle. Jack Herring walked. Lanahan moved to third on a fielder’s choice and scored as Davin Whitaker grounded out to third.

FAU tied the score at 1 in the second with the help of a walk and an error before a sacrifice fly by Brando Leroux.

Wallace scored on a squeeze bunt by Walker Barron as ECU took a 2-1 lead in the sixth.

Bachman’s 2-run homer in the eighth extended the lead to 4-1.

FAU (28-25, 12-13 American) scored two runs in the eighth on an RBI double by Brett Patten and a double steal as ECU traded a rundown inning-ending out for a run.

Ryan Towers (6-3) started for the Pirates and went five innings. He allowed three hits and one run (unearned) with three walks and four strikeouts.

“My fast ball definitely helped,” Towers said. “My curve ball was up in the zone and I wasn’t able to establish that.”

Gavin Marley provided a 3-inning bridge for ECU with two hits and two runs (one earned) while striking out four without a walk.

Joe Webb got one out in the ninth but surrendered a hit and a walk before Godwin called on Wallace.

ECU had a 13-8 lead in hits as Lanahan and Wallace each had three.

The Pirates go for their first road series win on Friday at 6:30 p.m.

“We’ve got to play better baseball if we’re going to make a run,” Godwin said, “But we’ll take a win and learn from it.”