No. 17 ECU completes sweep of Maryland, 4-0

GREENVILLE, N.C. – Tyler Smith and Ryan Ross combined for 11 strikeouts, while Connor Litton and Bryant Packard each tallied a pair of hits helping No. 17 ECU to a 4-0 shutout and weekend sweep of Maryland Sunday afternoon at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium. With the win the Pirates improve to 16-4 and the Terps fall to below .500 at 9-10.

How It Happened:

For the third straight game, ECU scored first plating a run in the first frame for a 1-0 lead. With Packard standing on third and no outs, Turner Brown grounded out to second pushing across the Pirates first run. ECU added another run in the sixth on Spencer Brickhouse’s sac fly to left field that scored Packard extending the lead to two, 2-0. In the seventh, Dusty Baker singled to right with two outs allowing Litton to score and in the ninth, Litton’s single up the middle capped the scoring at 4-0 when Brown crossed home.

Godwin's Take:

“Anytime you can win a college baseball game its good, it’s a tough thing to do. Maryland is a good club and they were much better offensively than what their numbers showed. I thought we pitched outstanding the entire weekend and the defense was outstanding as well. Offensively we hit a lot of balls hard today even though we didn’t have a ton of runs or hits. Packard squared up four balls, but only got two hits. But overall a lot of quality at-bats today and this weekend.”

Pirate Pitchers:

Smith (3-0) picked up the win after tossing 5.2 scoreless frames where he allowed six hits, walked one and struck out a career-high seven batters. Ross came into the contest in the sixth striking out the first three batters he faced before finishing with 3.1 no-hit frames with a total of four punch outs for his second save of the weekend and season.

Terrapins Staff:

Hunter Parsons (2-2) took the loss giving up three runs (one earned) on five hits with a walk and three strikeouts in seven innings. Sean Fisher closed out the game allowing one run (earned) on two hits with a walk in his lone stanza.

ECU's Bats:

Litton and Packard each registered two hits on the day, while Baker, Brown and Brady Lloyd added one. Packard scored a team-high two runs, while Brickhouse, Brown and Litton were credited with RBI.

Player of the Game:

Ross, who notched his second save of the weekend, retired all 10 batters he faced. The lefty came into the contest with two outs and runners on first and second getting the Pirates out of a jam when he struck out Taylor Wright. Ross fanned the next two batters of the seventh and got a pop up to first to end that stanza. In the eighth a pair of fly balls to Baker in center and his fourth strikeout of the day (10th of the week) closed a quick eighth inning. He got the save retiring the Terps in the ninth on a pair of fly outs and a pop up to second base.

Things To Know:

ECU’s pitching staff tossed its fourth shutouts of the season (second of the weekend) …

In Game 3’s this year, the Pirates have outscored their opponents 46-5 …

Litton (seven) and Packard (six) each tied multi-hit games …

Brown extended his on-base streak to eight games with his RBI single in the eighth …

The weekend sweep was the third of the year for ECU (others: Western Carolina and Charlotte) …

Up Next:

ECU will hit the road for the first of four-straight away games taking on UNC Wilmington on Wednesday, March 21 with a 6 p.m. (ET) scheduled first pitch.