Bass, Smithmyer deliver in Classic win

From electronic and staff reports
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Junior outfielder Bryan Bass put in a stellar performance at the plate and junior righthander Andy Smithmyer pitched 4 1/3 hitless relief innings to help East Carolina capture a 14-8 victory over Virginia Military Institute Friday afternoon in the opening game of the Terry Sisisky Classic.

Bass went 4-for-5, scored a pair of runs and had an RBI to spearhead an 18-hit attack as the Pirates stormed back from a 6-2 deficit and won going away in the opener of the Classic at The Diamond in Richmond, VA. Junior outfielder/first baseman John Wooten aided the East Carolina cause by going 3-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs.

VMI jumped on ECU freshman righthander Jeff Hoffman for six runs in the top of the 4th to take a 6-2 lead. After hitting the leadoff batter, Hoffman served up a two-run homer to left center by Jacob Morley. Hoffman, who gave up only one hit in the first three frames, then surrendered four more runs on three walks, a single and a bases-clearing double before getting the last out on a fly ball.

Smithmyer (5-2) took over the mound duties for East Carolina in the 5th and earned the win by muzzling the Keydets while the Pirates scored 12 runs in their next five at-bats.

Freshman righthander Dylan Dickens came in from the ECU bullpen with one out in the 9th after Smithmyer issued a pair of walks and dinged two batters to force in a run. Dickens hit a batter to send another run across the plate before closing out the triumph with a fly-out and a force-out.

VMI starter Coby Cowgill (5-5) lasted four innings and absorbed the loss after being roughed up for seven runs on nine hits and three walks.

In the evening game, the Keydets (15-36) regrouped to defeat host Virginia Commonwealth 7-6.

East Carolina (34-19-1) finishes its regular season and closes out the Classic by meeting host VCU (31-23) on Saturday (2 p.m.) The Pirates then head to Pearl, Mississippi, for next week's Conference USA Tournament.

PAGE UPDATED 05/19/12 04:11 AM.

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