By ECU Sports Information

GREENVILLE č Steven Evans tossed a season-best 7.1 innings with nine strikeouts as Liberty shutout East Carolina 2-0 Sunday afternoon in the sixth and final game of the Eighth Annual Keith LeClair Classic. With the win the Flames move to 8-8 on the year, while the Pirates had their five-game win streak snapped falling to 11-4 on the season.

Evans (1-3) allowed three hits and walked three to go along with his season-high nine strikeouts. The senior left-hander struck out two batters in each of the first three frames and added single punch outs in the fourth, seventh and eighth before being lifted for Dane Beakler, who notched his second save of the season with a scoreless 1.2 innings of relief.

Zach Woods (0-2) suffered the loss surrendering two runs (both earned) on three hits with a walk in 3.1 innings before being pulled for Brad Mincey in the fourth frame. Mincey worked 5.1 innings of scoreless relief with four strikeouts and extended his scoreless streak to 17.0 consecutive innings dating back to Feb. 27 against then 10th-ranked Virginia. Seth Simmons made his eighth appearance of the year facing one batter in the ninth.

Ian Parmley put Liberty up 1-0 in the third inning on a sac fly that scored Michael Robertson, who singled up the middle to start the frame. Zack Haley pushed him over to second on a sac bunt and a throwing error by John Wooten on the same play moved him to third.

Haley’s second sacrifice of the day gave the Flames a 2-0 lead in the fourth inning. Justin Sizemore walked with one out then took second on Austin Taylor’s single to left field off Mincey. Robertson was plunked by a Mincey pitch to load the bases for Haley, who sent a first pitch offering to left field scoring Sizemore.

ECU was able to muster just four hits on the afternoon with freshman Chase McDonald (2-for-4) leading the way with his second career multi-hit game. Corey Thompson and John Wooten were the other Pirates to with a base hit.

The Pirates will be back in action on today when they travel to Elon for the first of two midweek games. First pitch at Latham Park is scheduled for 6 p.m. (EST).