ECU advances to AAC semis with 12-0 win over Memphis

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CLEARWATER, Fla. (AAC) – East Carolina advanced to the semifinals with a 12-0 victory in seven innings over Memphis at the 2021 American Athletic Conference Baseball Championship Friday, May 28 at BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Fla.

Memphis (18-39) had defeated the Pirates, 11-1, in seven innings on Tuesday, May 25 in the first game of the tournament for both teams.

American Athletic Conference Pitcher of the Year Gavin Williams (10-0) pitched the second 7-inning complete-game shutout in The American’s championship history. The other 7-inning shutout was thrown by Alec Wisely of South Florida against UConn in 2018. Williams scattered four hits and two walks while striking out 10 Tigers.

American Athletic Conference Player of the Year Connor Norby and Bryson Worrell each drove in three runs for the Pirates (40-14), while Norby, Zach Agnos and Alec Makarewicz recorded multiple hits.

Blake Wimberley (2-9) took the loss, allowing five runs (three earned) in 3.1 innings with three strikeouts.

The Pirates scored first with two unearned runs in the bottom of the second inning, as Makarewicz scored on a sacrifice bunt by Lane Hoover and Ryder Giles singled home Seth Caddell. Agnos extended ECU’s lead by one in the third inning with an RBI double to left center that scored Josh Moylan.

East Carolina struck for three in the bottom of the fourth as Connor Norby beat out an infield single that plated Hoover and Thomas Francisco followed with his 11th home run of the season over the right field fence.

Six runs came across for ECU in the sixth, highlighted by a deep 3-run home run to right by Worrell, his ninth of the season.