ECU Rolls Past Aggies, 16-5
March 08, 2005 | Baseball
Drew Costanzo hit his fourth home run of the season and his second in as many games, batting 3-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored. Freshman Harrison Eldridge and Jamie Ray each collected two hits with Eldridge batting 2-for-2 with two RBI and Ray going 2-for-4 with one run batted in. Two Aggies collected three hits to lead the A&T offense. Jeremy Jones went 3-for-4 with one RBI and two runs scored while Charlie Gamble went 3-for-5 with two RBI and one run scored.
Brett Braxton earned the win in his first career start, throwing three shutout innings, allowing one hit while striking out one and walking one. Jason Neitz relieved Braxton, making his first appearance since having Tommy John surgery last season. Neitz tossed two innings, allowing one run on two hits while striking out one and walking one. Chris Powell, Cody Leggett and T.J. Hose combined to finish the game for ECU.
N.C. A&T starter Jasper Smith threw five innings, giving up 11 runs with only one of the runs an earned run on Smith's record. He walked six batters, allowed six hits and was hurt by the six Aggie errors in the field. Clint Summers, Eric Neal and Richard Hawk pitched the final three innings in relief.
ECU (8-4) got on the board early with four runs in the bottom of the first despite collecting only one hit in the inning. Billy Richardson and Costanzo each walked to lead off the game and Mark Minicozzi loaded the bases after a fielding error on Smith. After a Mike Grace strikeout, Costanzo was forced out at third on a Jake Smith ground ball but Richardson was able to plate the first ECU run. With runners on first and second, Ryan Peisel tripled to rightfield to give the Pirates a 3-0 lead. Peisel then scored ECU's fourth run on a Smith wild pitch.
The East Carolina lead increased to 6-0 when Smith and Peisel scored on a fielding error by centerfielder Eugene Burnett on a Dale Mollenhauer fly ball.
N.C. A&T (5-11) scored a run in the top of the fourth when Chris Williams doubled down the leftfield line and Charlie Gamble drove him in on a double into the gap.
ECU added five more runs in the fifth to push the lead to 9-1. Grace scored on a wild pitch after doubling to left-center earlier in the inning and Peisel, who reached on an error on shortstop Nic Mayo, crossed the plate on a Mollenhauer single to right. Mattox, who reached on a walk, scored on a Ray sacrifice fly to left for the Pirates' ninth run of the ballgame. Mollenhauer scored the tenth run on an error by first basemen Patrick Oates on a Costanzo grounder and Richardson scored on a Minicozzi single.
The Aggies added a second run in the top of the sixth when Joe McIntyre singled to right, scoring Gamble who doubled earlier in the inning. ECU added a run in the bottom half of the sixth The Aggies scored their third run of the game when Jeremy Jones doubled to left-center, scoring Williams and the fourth run when Gamble singled through the right side, scoring Jones to make the score 12-4.
The Aggies eighth error of the game brought home Costanzo from and Harrison Eldridge brought home Minicozzi on a single to center for two more ECU runs in the bottom of the seventh.
Drew Costanzo homered in the bottom of the eighth over the rightfield wall, driving in Billy Richardson for his third run of the game to increase the lead to 16-4. N.C. A&T added their fifth run in the ninth when Jones scored on a fielder's choice.
The Pirates will return to Clark-LeClair Stadium this weekend for a three-game series with Navy. Friday's contest will start at 7 p.m., Saturday's game is slated for 6 p.m. while the final game of the series is set for 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon.
