Pirates Drop First Game of Saturday Doubleheader, 9-6
March 26, 2005 | Baseball
GREENVILLE, N.C.--Charlotte defeated East Carolina 9-6 in the first game of a day-night doubleheader Saturday at Clark-LeClair Stadium. The 49ers never looked back after scoring four runs in the first and three in the second, taking the three-run win over the Pirates.
Derek McDaid (3-1) earned the win for Charlotte (15-8, 2-3 C-USA), allowing four runs on six hits in 5 1/3 innings pitched. The junior right-hander struck out two and walked three. Matt Fourd tossed 2 2/3 innings in relief of McDaid and Erik Walker collected his fifth save of the season in one inning of work.
Mike Flye (4-3) suffered the loss for ECU (13-9, 0-5 C-USA). In three innings of work, Flye allowed seven earned runs on seven hits. Kevin Rhodes relieved Flye, throwing a career-high six innings, allowing one run on seven hits while walking two and striking out five.
Mike Ambrose had a big day for the 49ers, going 4-for-5 with two RBI. Cory Lane, Adam Willard and Spencer Steedley each collected two hits for Charlotte. For East Carolina, Mike Grace, Adam Witter and Mark Minicozzi all finished the day 2-for-3.
Charlotte got out to a quick start, plating four runs in the top of the first. O'Brien Taylor, who was hit by a pitch to reach base, scored on a Minicozzi error for the first run of the game. Steedley then singled to right, scoring Willard from third before Ambrose tripled down the line in right to score Kris Rochelle and Steedley, giving the 49ers a 4-0 lead after one.
The 49ers increased their lead with three more runs in the second. Willard singled to center, scoring Alex Bryant from second for the first run of the inning before Rochelle hit his sixth homer of the year with a two-run shot to left.
Chris Lane hit a solo home run in the top of the fourth over the leftfield wall to give Charlotte a 8-0 lead.
The Pirates scored a run in the fourth when Witter singled to center, scoring Drew Costanzo who tripled down the rightfield line to lead off the inning.
Witter drove in his second run of the ballgame with an RBI double to left in the sixth before Grace singled to right-center, scoring Costanzo from third. Brian Cavanaugh continued the rally with a single through the left side to score Witter and advance Grace to third on the play.
Lane hit a solo homer to right off Rhodes in the top of the eighth, pushing the 49er lead to 9-4.
Billy Richardson cut the lead to 9-6 with a two-run homer that deflected off the glove of a leaping Taylor in left.
The Pirates placed their first two runners on in the ninth but were unable to complete the comeback, falling 9-6.
ECU and Charlotte will square off in the final game of the three-game series Saturday night at 6 p.m. at Clark-LeClair Stadium.
