By Staff
ECU Sports Information
WILMINGTON — Mike Rooney blasted his first home run of the season to lead off the fourth inning to help UNC Wilmington hand No. 14 East Carolina its second straight loss, 8-3, Wednesday night at Brooks Field.
Leading 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth, UNCW (18-11) plated four run to take a 7-2 advantage and never looked back. Rooney, who tripled in his first at-bat, led off the frame with his first home run of the season, teeing off on a Michael Wrigt 1-2 offering, before Grayson Evans drove in a pair of runs with a two-out double. The final run of the inning came off the bat of Robbie Monday, who singled to right.
Tyler McSwain evened his record to 1-1 on the season after working 2 2/3 innings where he allowed two runs on seven hits with a pair of strikeouts in a predetermined outing.
Wright went 3 2/3 innings, allowing seven runs (five earned) on seven hits with two walks and two strikeouts. Freshman Mark Wilder, Sthil Sowers and Mike Anderson also pitched for the Pirates (25-7).
UNCW took an early 2-0 lead thanks to a pair of hits and a Pirate fielding error in the first inning.
The Pirates knotted the game at two in the second inning on four hits and an error. Devin Harris singled down the left field line and took second on an error. Austin Homan followed with a single up the middle that put runners on the corners. Dustin Harrington pushed across Harris with his single to right field and Trent Whitehead collected his second hit of the game, an RBI single to center, tying the game at two.
Rooney led off the bottom of the second with a triple down the right field line and came home when Holt grounded out for a 3-2 Seahawk advantage.
Stanley drew a bases loaded walk plating Rooney for an 8-2 lead in the fifth inning.
Stephen Batts pulled the Pirates within 8-3 with a two-out RBI single
ECU will return to action Friday when it plays host to No. 1 Rice in a three-game Conference USA matchup. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m.