By Staff
ECU Sports INformation
GREENVILLE — No. 16 East Carolina used four home runs and a five-run first and seventh inning to pace them to a 15-4 win over in-state foe Elon Tuesday night at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium.
Devin Harris’ three-run blow in the bottom of the first highlighted a five-run frame and proved to be the game-winning hit, his fourth of the season, as ECU (21-5) jumped out to an early 5-0 lead and never looked back.
Trent Whitehead singled to start the inning then took second when Ryan Wood was walked on four straight pitches. After a double steal put both runners in scoring position Kyle Roller drew a four-pitch walk to load the bases for Drew Schieber, who singled up the middle scoring Whitehead and Wood for a 2-0 lead. Harris, who hit his fourth homer of the season, took a 2-0 offering from Kennedy to left field pushing across three more runs.
Patrick Somers improved to 2-1 on the season after working two innings of scoreless relief while allowing two hits, two walks and fanning one. Starter Mike Anderson went three innings giving up one run on one hit and walked three before passing the ball to Somers. Mike Wright (1.2 IP, 1 H, 3 Ks), Mark Wilder (0.1 IP), Honeycutt (1.0 IP, 1 K) and Joe O’Malley (1.0 IP, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 H, 2 BB and 1 K) combined to close out the final four innings.
Bobby Kennedy dropped to 1-3 on the year after lasting just 1 2/3 innings where the Pirates scored six runs on three hits. John Brebbia entered the game in the second and worked 4 1/3 innings surrendering four runs on four hits. Greg Amorosso finished the final two innings giving up five runs on three hits.
Elon scored a run in the second to cut the Pirates lead to four, 5-1.Justin Hilt walked to start the frame then stole second before advancing to third on Ryan Adams fly ball to center. Dallas Tarleton drove in his 12th run of the season when he grounded out to second scoring Hilt.
The Pirates plated a run in the second to push their lead back to five, 6-1, in the second inning. Austin Homan drew a free pass to start the inning then moved over to second when Whitehead was plunked by a Kennedy pitch. Stephen Batts’ reached on a fielder’s choice pushing Homan over to third and then scored when Kyle Roller reached on an error with two outs.
Dustin Harrington put the Pirates up 9-1 in the fifth with a three-run home run to left field. Roller singled to left center to start the inning then moved to second when Harris ripped a shot to left putting runners at first and second for Harrington’s third home run of the season.
Batts belted his seventh home run of the season, a solo shot to right center with two outs, to extend the Pirates lead to 10-1.
Wood highlighted a five-run seventh inning with his first career grand slam to push ECU’s lead to 15-1. For Wood, it was his fourth homer of the season and he extended his current hitting streak to 12 games.
The Phoenix plated three runs in the ninth thanks to a three-run home run by Neal Pritchard, ending the scoring at 15-4.
ECU will hit the road Wednesday night when they travel to Raleigh to square off against NC State with a 6:30 p.m. first pitch scheduled.