ECU halts Seahawks' home streak

From electronic and staff reports
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Freshman righthander Jeff Hoffman pitched 6 1/3 shutout innings and junior outfielder Jay Cannon drove in three runs to help East Carolina claim a 5-0 victory over UNC-Wilmington Tuesday evening at Brooks Field.

Hoffman (1-0) earned his first collegiate win with the performance. He fanned seven while limiting the Seahawks to five hits, a pair of walks and a hit batsman before handing off to a trio of relief pitchers who kept the shutout intact.

Jake Harris, a junior lefthander, gave up a walk in 1/3 of an inning and freshman righthander Dylan Dickens surrendered a pair of hits in 2/3 of an inning to set the stage for closer Tanner Merritt.

A sophomore righthander, Merritt gave up no hits and walked one in 1 2/3 innings to pick up his fifth save of the season. He faced only four batters as the recipient of his walk and a runner he inherited were retired on double plays.

The Pirates (20-8) jumped on UNCW starter Travis Bradley (0-1), a senior righthander, for three runs in the third. After a walk to sophomore designated hitter Drew Reynolds, a single by senior third baseman Corey Thompson and a walk to junior first baseman John Wooten loaded the bases, Cannon singled to left to drive in Reynolds and Thompson.

Wooten, who moved to third on a fly to right by senior catcher Zach Wright, then scored when sophomore outfielder Ben Fultz lashed a single off Jack Lane. A junior righthander, Lane was the first of a parade of five Seahawk relievers.

East Carolina added a pair of insurance runs in the ninth, getting the inning underway by loading the bases with no outs. After a force-out at the plate on a fielder's choice left the bases full, Cannon recorded his third RBI when he was hit by a pitch. Cannon's trip to first scored Reynolds, who had reached on a single and moved to third on a single by Thompson and the fielder's choice.

Wright then walked, sending Thompson across the plate for the final run.

The outcome extended the Pirates' winning streak to four games and ended UNC-Wilmington's string of consecutive home triumphs at seven

East Carolina will begin a three-game home series with Conference USA foe Houston on Thursday (6 p.m.). The Pirates will host a rematch with the Seahawks (15-13) on Tuesday, April 17.

PAGE UPDATED 04/04/12 04:27 AM.

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