By Staff
ECU Sports Information
GREENVILLE — Sophomore Brad Mincey followed up stellar performances by Chris Heston and Seth Maness, tossing a career-best seven innings and fanning a career-high seven batters as No. 21 East Carolina (35-14) completed the three-game non-conference sweep of Louisiana-Lafayette (21-25-1) 9-4 Sunday afternoon at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium.
After a shaky first inning, where the Cajuns scored two runs on three hits, Mincey (8-4) settled down scattering four hits over the next six innings to pick up his team-leading eighth win. In all he allowed four runs on seven hits and did not issue a walk. Freshman Kevin Brandt relieved Mincey in the eighth frame working a scoreless inning where he extended his current streak to 21 2/3 frames without allowing a run. Bailey Daniels closed the game by working a perfect ninth inning.
Gregory Harmon dropped to 0-2 on the year after going five innings where he gave up five runs (all earned) on eight hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Blake Haagen worked the sixth surrendering two runs on two hits and Dayton Marze pitched the seventh and eighth innings also giving up two runs on two hits.
The Cajuns jumped out to an early 2-0 lead thanks to a two-out double to right field off the bat of Les Smith. Matt Goulas and Alex Fuselier recorded back-to-back singles to start the inning and came around on Smith’s 10th two-bagger of the season.
Stephen Batts pulled the Pirates within one, 2-1, in the bottom half of the first on an RBI single up the middle. Kyle Roller drew a two-out walk then took third on Brandon Henderson’s single to left that originally looked to have been caught by Fuselier.
Kyle Bostick put the Cajuns up 3-1 in the fourth with an RBI single through the left side. Smith led off the inning his second double of the contest to right-center then took third on Chad Keefer’s sac bunt.
Devin Harris smashed his 11th home run of the season to straight away center over the batter’s eye pulling the Pirates back within one, 3-2.
Batts gave ECU its first lead of the game, 4-3, in the fifth with a two-out two RBI double down the left field line. Trent Whitehead singled up the middle to start the frame then took second on Roller’s eighth double of the season down the right field line. Batts cleared the bases with his 27th extra-base hit of the season.
ECU pushed across three runs in the sixth to pad their lead to 7-3. Whitehead doubled to left scoring Drew Schieber who reached after being plunked by a Harmon pitch and Ryan Wood followed with a two-run shot to left field, his 10th of the season, 31st of this career and third of the week.
Bostick hit his first home run of the season to right field, which was also his third base hit of the game cutting the lead to three, 7-4.
The Pirates plated a pair of runs in the eighth when Roller singled to left pushing across Wood and Jared Avchen before being tagged out in a run down at second base.
Offensively ECU pounded out double-digit hits for the 34th time with its 12 base knocks on the afternoon. Batts lead a trio of Pirates with multiple RBIs with three and four Pirates had two hits each, while eight of ECU’s nine hitters registered at least one hit.
The Pirates will be back in action next Friday when the head to the Lone Star state for a pivotal three-game Conference USA series against Houston.