By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
GREENVILLE — Seth Maness didn’t have his best stuff, but it was certainly good enough. The sophomore All-American held Louisiana-Lafayette in check, and the No. 21 East Carolina Pirates took advantage of some Ragin’ Cajuns errors in a 3-1 victory.
Saturday’s win, coming in front of 3,021 fans at Clark-LeClair Stadium, gave ECU (34-14) the series win over the Ragin’ Cajuns (21-24-1).
Maness (7-0) allowed one run and scattered seven hits over 7 2/3 innings. The sophomore struck out three and walked one.
The Pirates took advantage of a pair of Lafayette errors to grab a 2-1 lead in the fifth inning.
Ryan Wood slapped a two-out single and Stephen Batts reached on an error. Kyle Roller’s single into right scored Wood, who easily beat the throw home. Cajun catcher Thad Griffen attempted to get Roller out at second, who advanced on the throw home, but the ball sailed into the outfield, allowing Batts to trot home.
ECU took advantage of a third Cajun error in the sixth. Dustin Harrington reached on a two-base error by center fielder Kyle Olasin. Jared Avchen’s two-out single drove in Harrington for a 3-1 lead.
Lafayette starter Justin Robichaux (1-2) had held the Pirates in check until his teammates started making mistakes. He went six innings and allowed the three runs (all unearned) on six hits.
The Cajuns took a 1-0 lead in the first. Alex Fuselier drew a leadoff walk and eventually scored on Chad Keefer’s double, but that’s all the Cajuns would get.
Closer Seth Simmons closed it out for his eighth save of the season. He retired all four batters he faced, two by strikeout.
The teams close the series with today’s 11 a.m. game. It had originally been scheduled for noon.
Brad Mincey (7-4) will start for the Pirates.