ECU Athletic Media Relations

 

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Top-ranked Virginia scored six two-out runs to complete a non-conference sweep over East Carolina, 6-2, Sunday afternoon at Davenport Field.

Virginia (6-1) jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the third thanks to five hits, three stolen bases and a walk. With two outs, Joe McCarthy walked then stole second base to move into scoring position. From there, Brandon Downes, Derek Fisher, Matt Thaiss and Nate Irving each had consecutive RBI base hits chasing ECU starter David Lucroy from the contest.

Brandon Waddell (1-1) notched his first win of the season working 5.2 innings where he surrendered two runs (both earned) on five hits with a walk and two strikeouts. Whit Mayberry relieved Waddell in the sixth going 2.1 innings with a strikeout before Kevin Doherty (walk) and Nick Howard (two strikeouts) worked a scoreless ninth.

Lucroy (0-2) allowed four runs (all earned) on seven hits with a walk and strikeout before he was lifted in the third for senior Ryan Williams. The right-hander went 5.1 innings in relief giving up two runs (both earned) on six hits with a pair on punch-outs.

ECU (3-4) snapped its scoreless streak, which was at 18.2 innings, scoring a pair of runs in the top of the fourth frame cutting the lead in half, 4-2. Senior Zach Houchins singled through the left side with two outs and came around to score on sophomore Luke Lowery’s double down the left field line. Senior Dylan Brown pushed across Lowery with a shot to center before getting caught in a run down.

McCarthy drove in the Cavaliers fifth two-out run of the afternoon in the fourth with a soft single to right field in no-man’s land that scored Mike Papi for a 5-2 advantage.

Virginia added another run in the sixth extending its lead to four, 6-2. Thaiss singled through the right side with one out, moved to second on Irving’s ground out to short and scored on John La Prise’s single to left field.

Houchins collected two of ECU’s six hits extending his hit streak to 10 games, while pushing his consecutive games reaching base to 25. Lowery, who was 1-for-4 with an RBI, extended his hit streak to seven games. Junior Hunter Allen recorded his first hit in a Pirate uniform reaching on an infield single in the seventh frame.

The Pirates will close out its four-game road trip Wednesday, Feb. 26 when they travel to Richmond, Va. to square off against former Colonial Athletic Association foe Virginia Commonwealth. First pitch is slated for 3 p.m. (EST).