ECU wins a wild one
Published 11:37 pm Tuesday, March 15, 2011
By ECU Sports Information
ELON – Trent Whitehead scored on a wild pitch in the top of the 10th and Jake Harris came on to record his second save of the year as East Carolina (12-4) squeaked out a 4-3 win over Elon (12-6) in 10 innings.
Heading to the 10th, Whitehead roped his second double of the game with one out, then took third on a Mitch Conner wild pitch and came home on the third wild pitch of the frame giving ECU a 4-3 lead.
Harris relieved Seth Simmons (2-0) in the bottom of the 10th and promptly struck out Alex Swim and Neal Pritchard for the first two outs. Sebastian Gomez drew a two-out walk and pinch hitter Garrett Koster reached on an infield single putting runners at first and second for Seth Canipe, who sent a grounder to Corey Thompson at third who flipped over to Mike Ussery forcing Kostner out at second to end the game.
Simmons picked up the win after working 1.2 innings allowing three walks and striking out two in his first blown save of the season. Shawn Armstrong gave up two runs (one earned) on two hits with two walks and a strikeout in 1.2 innings before being lifted for Kevin Brandt, who was sensational out of the bullpen scattering three hits over 5.2 innings allowing one run (earned) with six strikeouts.
Conner (1-1) suffered the loss after giving up the winning run in the 10th. He tossed 1.2 innings or relief scattering three this and striking out three. Starter Thomas Girwood allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits with a walk and a career-best five punch outs in 5.2 innings in just his second career start. The right-hander had previously spent time in the bullpen pitching in 90 career games before making the move as a midweek starter this season.
ECU took an early 1-0 lead when Zach Wright roped a double down the left field line in the first inning. Whitehead doubled to left center on the first pitch of the game then came around to score on Wright’s 10th RBI of the season.
Elon wasted little time in knotting the score at one in the bottom of the second. Niko Fraser drew a one out walk, stole second and advanced to third on an errant throw by Wright down to second base on the steal attempt.
Swim sent a dribbler to first scoring Fraser to tie the game.
Ryan Kinsella broke the one-all tie with a RBI infield single scoring Gomez, who doubled to open the frame. Gomez took third on an Armstrong balk and darted home on Kinesella’s hit to third base.
ECU scored two runs in the third to take a 3-2 lead. Wright tied the game at two when he took a full-count offering from Girwood to left center off the top of the scoreboard for his fourth home run of the season. Freshman Chase McDonald followed with a double to right field then took third on a wild pitch before crossing home and giving ECU a 3-2 lead on Chris Gosik’s ground out to short.
The Phoenix knotted the game at three in the eighth when Fraser scored on the second throwing error of the night by Wright. Fraser led off with an infield single to third then stole second before Pritchard walked to put runners on first and second with one out. Fraser then swiped third and scored on Wright’s bad thrown down the left field line to tie the game.
Wright led the Pirates with three hits, while Whitehead and Wooten each had two hits.
The Pirates will be back in action on Wednesday, March 16 when they play host to Buffalo with a 6 p.m. first pitch expected.
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