Lloyd leads No. 6 ECU Baseball to walk-off win over Campbell, 4-3

Brady Lloyd’s suicide squeeze bunt in the bottom of the ninth inning scored Christian Jayne lifting No. 6 ECU to a 4-3 walk-off win over instate foe Campbell Tuesday night at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium. With the win the Pirates improve to 40-12 on the season, while the Camels fall to 29-19. The victory also marked the 15th time in program history with a 40-plus win season and third under head coach Cliff Godwin (first in regular season).

With the score tied at three and the bases full of Pirates (Thomas Francisco on first, Ryder Giles on second and Jayne on third) and one out in the bottom of the ninth, Campbell went to their bullpen for right-hander Jack Yusko and brought in Waldy Arias for a five-man infield with Lloyd up to bat. Lloyd dropped down on the first pitch he saw from the submarine hurler pushing a bunt down the first base line, while Jayne darted from home giving the Pirates’ their third walk-off win of the season.

Evan Voliva (5-3) earned the win working two-thirds of an inning in relief. Starter Evan Odum surrendered one run (earned) on three hits with a walk and one strikeout in two-plus innings of work. Gavin Williams gave up a pair of runs (both earned) on two hits with four punch outs in 3.1 frames, while Alec Burleson worked two-thirds of a frame issuing a walk and fanning one. Giles tossed 2.1 scoreless frames allowing a pair of hits with a walk and one strikeout.

Wyatt Tyson (1-2) suffered the loss giving up one run (earned) on one hit with a walk and a punch out in one-third of an inning. Starter Kevin Westlake was touched for three runs (all earned) on four hits with four walk and four strikeouts in 5.2 frames. Julian Blackburn (2.1 IP, 1 BB, 3 Ks) and Yusko (0.0 IP, 1 H) also made appearances.

Campbell jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on Zack Minnick’s RBI double in the second frame. With two away and Grant Harris standing on second after a stolen base, Minnick slapped a 1-0 offering from Odum to deep left center easily plating Harris.

Bryson Worrell tied the game at one-all with a solo blast to left field on a first pitch offering from Westlake in the third inning. It was the sophomore’s first home run since Feb. 20 at Campbell earlier this year.

The Camels regained the lead in the sixth scoring a pair of runs for a 3-1 advantage. Luis Gimenez singled to get the frame going and after stealing second, came around to score on Collin Wolf’s RBI double. Burleson took the mound hitting a pair of batters to load the bases for Minnick, who drew a walk that plated Wolf.

Chandler Jenkins second home run of the season in the bottom of the sixth knotted the game a three-all. Burleson was hit by a pitch with one out and two batters later, Jenkins deposited a Westlake pitch over the right field wall clearing the bases.

Jenkins led the Pirates offense going 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI and a run scored. Spencer Brickhouse, Giles, Lloyd and Worrell each tallied a hit, while Lloyd and Worrell both drove in a run.

Seven different Camels recorded a base knock and Minnick plated a pair of runs.

ECU will close out the regular season this weekend when it plays host to American Athletic Conference foe Memphis in a three-game set. First pitch of the series is slated for Thursday, May 16 at 6:30 p.m. (ET).