No. 9 UNC Defeats No. 25 ECU, 6-2

Wednesday, March 22

Greenville, N.C.

6:30 P.M.

East Carolina University

14-8

North Carolina

16-5

North Carolina

East Carolina

March 22, 2017 | Baseball

Box Score

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GREENVILLE, N.C. – Brandon Riley drove in four runs, three of which came on a home run, helping No. 9 North Carolina to a 6-2 win over No. 25 East Carolina Wednesday night at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium. With the win the Tar Heels improve to 16-5 on the season, while the Pirates fall to 14-8 and suffered their first midweek loss of the year.

Rodney Hutchinson, Jr. (3-1) picked up the win in relief working 4.2 scoreless frames where he allowed two hits, walked two and struck out five. Starter Tyler Baum surrendered two runs (both earned) on three hits with one walk and a pair of strikeouts in three-plus innings. Josh Hiatt notched his eighth save of the season working a perfect 1.1 innings with four strikeouts.

Jacob Wolfe (2-2) suffered the loss giving up three runs (one earned) on two hits with a pair of walks and one strikeout in 3.2 frames. Chris Holba allowed three runs (one earned) on four hits with four strikeouts in 2.1 innings, while Matt Bridges (2.0 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 2 Ks) and Joe Ingle (1.0 IP) tossed three scoreless frames to close out the game.

To go along with his four RBI, Riley collected a game-best three hits and scored two runs. Brian Miller drove in a run on a ground out, while four others scored once on the night.

Bryce Harman and Charlie Yorgen each drove in run and were two of five Pirates with a hit on the evening. Eric Tyler reached base three times (hit and two hit by pitches) and scored a run, while Dusty Baker accounted for the Pirates other run in the contest.

How It Happened:
UNC broke a scoreless tie in the top of the third inning plating the game's first run on Miller's RBI ground out. Riley doubled down the right field line to start the frame, took third on Ike Freeman's sac bunt and came home on Miller's grounder to first base.

Yorgen knotted the game at one-all in the home half of the third with an RBI double down the left field line that scored Baker from first after he walked to get the stanza going.

Riley put the Tar Heels ahead for good with his three-run homer in the top of the fourth frame for a 5-1 advantage. Zack Gahagan walked with one out and moved over to second two batters later when Tyler Lynn drew a free pass from Wolfe before he was lifted for Holba. Cody Roberts reached on a throwing error by Turner Brown allowing Gahagan to score for a 2-1 lead. Riley then followed with a three-run homer to left field clearing the based and capping the frame at 5-1.

Harman pulled the Pirates within three, 5-2, in the home half of the fourth inning on a with his RBI single. Tyler singled to left field which was followed by a Bryant Packard single putting runners on first and second with no outs. Hutchinson entered the contest inducing a double play, which allowed Tyler to move to third setting up Harman's RBI single to right field.

UNC would add another run in the sixth pushing its lead to four, 6-2, on Riley's infield single to second plating Kyle Drates.

Up Next:
ECU returns to action on Friday, March 24 when hosts Towson for a three-game non-conference series. First pitch of the weekend is slated for 6:30 p.m. (ET).