49ers Defeat Pirates in Extra Innings, 6-2
March 25, 2005 | Baseball
GREENVILLE, N.C.--The Pirates dropped an extra inning battle to Charlotte Friday night, falling 6-2 in 10 innings in front of 3,005 in attendance at Clark-LeClair Stadium.
With the loss, East Carolina (13-8, 0-4 C-USA) has now dropped four of its last five contests. The Pirates walked seven batters and left 14 runners on base in the four-run loss to the 49ers. Charlotte (14-8, 1-3 C-USA) used two walks, a hit-by-pitch and a sacrifice fly in the tenth to break the 2-2 tie.
Brian Cavanaugh finished the day batting 4-for-5 while Billy Richardson was the only other Pirate with multiple hits, going 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI. Spencer Steedley led the 49ers with two hits, going 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored. Alex Bryant also collected two RBI for Charlotte.
T.J. Hose (1-2) suffered the loss in relief of Connelly. Hose went 2 2/3 innings, allowing five runs on one hit while striking out four and walking five. P.J. Connelly started his seventh game of the season, tossing 6 2/3 innings, allowing no earned runs on five hits while striking out two and walking five. Kevin Rhodes threw the final 2/3 of an inning, allowing just one hit.
Erik Walker (2-2) earned the win for Charlotte. In 2 1/3 innings pitched, Walker allowed just one hit while walking one and striking out two. Adam Mills started for the 49ers, allowing two runs on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings of work.
Charlotte plated a run in the top of the second when Steedley stole third and advanced home when Smith's throw went into leftfield.
East Carolina responded in the bottom half of the second inning when Richardson singled with the bases loaded to score Adam Witter from third to tie the game at one.
The scored remained tied 1-1 until ECU plated a run in the bottom of the seventh. After Billy Richardson singled and stole second base, Mark Minicozzi singled to right, scoring Richardson from second to put the Pirates up 2-1 after seven innings.
The 49ers got the run back in the top of the eighth when Steedley singled to right, scoring Willard from second.
Charlotte took the lead in the top of the tenth scoring four runs to seal the victory. O'Brien Taylor crossed the plate on a Steedley sacrifice fly to center with bases loaded and Chris Lane drove in Willard on a ground out to short before Bryant doubled to left, scoring Mike Ambrose and Kris Rochelle to give Charlotte a 6-2 lead.
The Pirates and the 49ers return to the field Saturday for a doubleheader at Clark-LeClair Stadium. Game times of the doubleheader are set for 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.
