No. 14 East Carolina's Ninth-Inning Rally Defeats Cincinnati
April 16, 2004 | Baseball
AMELIA, Ohio ? Drew Costanzo drove in Ryan Jones for the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth as No. 14 East Carolina rallied with five runs, all with two outs, in its last at-bat to defeat Cincinnati, 15-13, Friday afternoon at Midland Field. The Pirates (29-6, 10-3 C-USA) trailed the Bearcats (7-26, 2-11 C-USA) 13-10 heading into the final frame after rallying from six-run and seven-run deficits with nine runs in the final three innings to extend their winning streak to 10 games.
Trevor Lawhorn homered twice for the Pirates as ECU hit five home runs in the contest to surpass last season's total already, 35 games into the season. The Pirates have now homered 63 times this season.
Scott Andrews (2-0) came on in relief and tossed 2 1/3 innings holding Cincinnati to one hit to pick up the win. Matt Bishop earned his second save of the season tossing the final scoreless inning. Greg Bunn started the game on the mound but allowed seven earned runs on 10 hits. He recorded four strikeouts.
Trevor Lawhorn finished the game 3-for-5 with four runs scored and five RBI for the Pirates. Ryan Jones was 3-for-6 with three RBI and three runs scored. Jamie Paige, Ryan Norwood, Darryl Lawhorn and Mark Minicozzi each had two hits as the Pirates pounded out 18 hits in the contest. Jack Nelson led Cincinnati going 5-for-6 with four RBI. Drew Saylor was a perfect 4-for-4 with two runs scored and two RBI.
ECU trailed 13-10 heading into the ninth inning. Darryl Lawhorn led of the inning with a double to right field. After Mark Minicozzi and John Poppert were retired, Brett Lindgren delivered a run-scoring single to right center to cut it to, 13-11. After Jamie Paige's single brought the go-ahead run to the plate, Jones doubled in Paige and pinch runner Brian Cavanaugh tying the game, 13-13. Trevor Lawhorn was intentionally walked to get to Costanzo who singled in the winning run. ECU's final run came when Darryl Lawhorn drew a bases loaded walk for the 15-13 lead.
Bishop struck out Steve Pickerell and got Jon DeLuca to fly out to right field for the final out of the game.
Cincinnati used a three-run fifth inning to jump out to a 13-6 lead on ECU. Ryan Norwood's two-run home run in the top of the seventh brought the Pirates within, 13-8. John Poppert drove in Darryl Lawhorn to make it, 13-9.
Jones' 12th home run of the season pulled the Pirates within, 13-10, in the top of the eighth.
Trevor Lawhorn's 16th home run of the season, a two-run blast, put ECU ahead, 2-0, in the top of the first inning. Darryl Lawhorn's solo homer put the Pirates ahead, 3-0.
Cincinnati scored nine runs on six hits and two ECU errors as the Bearcats took the first lead, 9-3. Nelson's three-run homer highlighted the inning for the Bearcats.
Trevor Lawhorn's 17th home run of the season, a three-run shot, brought the Pirates within, 9-6, in the top of the fifth.
Cincinnati pounded out a season-high, 18 hits off four ECU pitchers. Tony Maynard (1-4) took the loss for the Bearcats on the mound. Maynard surrendered six earned runs in 2 1/3 innings.
East Carolina and Cincinnati will play game two of the series Saturday at 4 p.m. at Midland Field.
