Pirates complete sweep

By Al Myatt
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CINCINNATI — Luke Lowery's RBI double in the top of the eighth inning lifted East Carolina to an 8-7 win on Saturday and completed a three-game sweep at Cincinnati.

The Pirates concluded the regular season at 36-20 overall and 15-9 in the American Athletic Conference.

ECU is the No. 2 seed for the league tournament next week in Clearwater, FL, and will meet No. 7 Central Florida at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

Despite taking a 5-0 lead in the second inning, the Pirates had to withstand a comeback by the Bearcats as the hosts honored alumnus and retiring major leaguer Kevin Youkilis before the contest at Marge Schott Stadium.

Bryce Harman and Charlie Yorgen each had two-run homers in the second inning as ECU won its fourth straight game.

Lowery and Travis Watkins singled in the fifth for the Pirates. Kirk Morgan reached on an error that allowed Lowery to score for a 6-1 ECU lead. Harman picked up an RBI on a ground out later in the frame for a 7-1 Pirates cushion.

Ian Happ's two-run double cut the lead to 7-3 in the bottom of the fifth.

R.J. Thompson had a run-scoring single in the sixth to get the Bearcats within 7-4.

Devin Wenzel's two-run homer in the seventh after an RBI single by Joey Thomas tied the score at 7.

Nick Durazo (4-0) got the win in relief. He allowed one hit and struck out two in one scoreless inning. Joe Ingle got the last two outs of the game for his sixth save.

Left-hander Jacob Wolfe started and left after five innings with a 7-3 lead. Wolfe allowed seven hits, three earned runs and struck out four while walking one.

Getting two hits each for ECU were Hunter Allen, Lowery, Travis Watkins and Reid Love. Harman drove in three runs.

Happ led Cincinnati (15-39, 6-18 AAC), going 3-for-5 with two RBIs.

PAGE UPDATED 05/17/15 03:25 AM.

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