No. 16 ECU baseball completes series sweep of Georgia Southern

No. 16 East Carolina scored four runs in the first and six in the third defeating Georgia Southern 10-2 in game two of Sunday’s doubleheader at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium. With the series sweep the Pirates improve to 6-1 on the season, while the Eagles fall to 3-4.

After winning the first game of the day 3-2, ECU wasted little time in jumping out to a lead as it scored four runs in the first frame, which was highlighted by Bryson Worrell’s three-run homer. With one away in the home half of the frame, Zach Agnos and Alec Burleson collected consecutive singles and Thomas Francisco plated the first run (Agnos) with a base knock through the right side. Worrell cleared the bases with a blast to right field, his first of the season for a 4-0 lead after one inning of play.

Jake Kuchmaner (2-0) earned the win tossing three scoreless frames allowing three this and striking out two on a predetermined pitch count. From there, the Pirates rolled out six arms in relief getting outings from Parker Boyle (1.0 IP, 2 Hs, 2 Ks), Nate Nabholz (1.2 IP 1 R, 1 K), Bradley Wilson (0.1 IP, 3 Hs, 1 K), Carter Spivey (1.0 UP, 1 R, 1 K), Cam Colmore (1.0 IP, 2 Ks) and Zach Agnos (1.0 IP, 1 BBs).

David Johnson (1-1) took the loss after he was touched for six runs (all earned) on seven hits with one strikeout in 2.1 innings. The Eagles also used six pitcher out of the bullpen using Nick Jones (0.0 IP, 2 Rs), Hayden Harris (0.2 IP, 2 Rs), Rhett Gay (2.0 IP, 2 Ks), Jonathan Edwards (1.1 IP, 2 Ks), Jay Thompson (0.2 IP, 2 Ks) and Tyler Jones (1.0 IP, 1 K).

The Pirates batted around in the third stanza scoring six runs and extending their lead to 10-0. Connor Norby plated the first run (Burleson) with a single through the left side, Ryder Giles drove in a pair (Francisco and Norby) with another single, Lane Hoover had an RBI base knock to right field scoring Christian Smallwood and Burleson capped the frame with a two-RBI shot to left field pushing across Giles and Hoover.

Chandler Davis drove in both of the Eagles’ runs with one in the sixth (solo home run) and one in the seventh (RBI single) to make it a 10-2 ball game.

ECU pounded out 13 hits in game two getting multiple base knocks from Burleson (three), Francisco (two) and Ben Newton (two). Six different Pirates drove in a run led by Worrell’s three, while Burleson and Giles plated a pair.

Thomas Francisco’s first home run of the season, a two-run shot, gave ECU an early 2-0 lead in the first inning. With two away, Burleson reached on an infield single to short and trotted home on Francisco’s shot to right field.

C.J. Mayhue (1-0) picked up his first career win tossing two scoreless innings of relief allowing a pair of walks and striking out three. Ryder Giles got the save working the final 1.1 innings with one strikeout. Starter Tyler Smith gave up one run (earned) on three hits with two walks and one punch out over 4.2 frames. Matt Bridges (0.0 IP, 1 R) and Trystan Kimmel (0.2 IP, 2 Hs) also saw action out of the bullpen.

Braden Hays (0-1) suffered the loss despite making a quality start where he was touched for three runs (all earned) on six hits with two strikeouts in six innings. Jacob Parker worked two scoreless frames giving up a hit, walking one and fanning one.

Ryder Giles’ RBI double down the left field line pushed the Pirates’ lead to three, 3-0. Seth Caddell reached on a ground-rule double to right field and two batters later darted home on Giles’ lone hit of the game.

Georgia Southern finally got on the board in the fifth thanks to a hit batter making it a two-run game, 3-1. With the bases loaded, Garrett Saylor hit Mason McWhorter allowing JP Tighe to score.

Parker Biederer’s pinch-hit RBI single in the eighth inning pulled the Eagles within one, 3-2. Noah Searcy doubled to left field and took third two batters later on a fielder’s choice. Biederer’s base hit to shallow center allowed Searcy to cross home and cap the scoring.

Francisco led the Pirates hitting going 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI and a run scored. Five others tallied a base knock including Christian Smallwood who made his first appearance of the season as the designated hitter.

The Pirates return to action on Tuesday, Feb. 25 when they travel to Elon for a midweek match-up. First pitch at Walter C. Latham Park is set for 4 p.m. (ET).