CHAPEL HILL — East Carolina took an efficient 10-0 win over Virginia Commonwealth on Sunday to advance to the championship of the Chapel Hill regional.
Ethan Rose, Brett Antolick and Thomas Paxton combined for the shutout as the Pirates improved to 38-23-1 going into a matchup with North Carolina (47-11-1) on Sunday at 5 p.m.
VCU finished 38-25.
The Pirates, 1-2-1 against the Tar Heels this season, would need to beat UNC on Sunday and Monday to advance to the Super Regional. The Heels need one win to move on from the double-elimination event.
The Pirates took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first after walks to Grady Lanahan and Braden Burress. With two away, a single to shallow left by Michael Kalinich brought in Lanahan from second.
Colby Wallace was hit by a pitch to load the bases and two runs scored on Austin Irby’s single through the left side.
Rose kept the Rams scoreless through five innings. He yielded four hits and one walk with three strikeouts before Antolick came in.
ECU added two runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth.
Irby had an RBI single in the fifth and Nick Parham drew a bases-loaded walk.
In the sixth, Davin Whitaker singled to score Burress for a 6-0 lead. Walker Barron had a sacrifice fly and Parham had an RBI single for an 8-0 advantage.
The margin grew to 9-0 in the seventh when Lanahan raced home on a passed ball. A double by Kalinich scored Burress to put the Pirates ahead, 10-0.
The 10-run mercy rule is not in effect in the NCAA Tournament.
Antolick went two innings. He allowed one hit with no walks and two strikeouts. Thomas Paxton pitched the eighth and ninth to complete the shutout. He allowed one hit with no walks and no strikeouts.
It was the first shutout in NCAA play for ECU since 2008.
Kalinich went 4-for-4 with a double and three RBIs. Burress had two hits and scored three runs. Irby had two hits and three RBIs.
UNC topped the Pirates, 7-5, on Saturday.
“We’re just excited for the opportunity,” said ECU coach Cliff Godwin on the Pirate radio network. “It was a great environment last night. Kudos to the Tar Heel fans. Need the Pirate fans to be real loud tonight.”
…awesome pitching exhibition 1st inning through 9th, but you have to give the game ball to Rose. I was surprised when CG yanked him, but maybe that has to do with preserving precious pitching resources to survive this brutal regional test.