Pirates Win Behind Brooks' Second Complete Game of the Season
April 15, 2005 | Baseball
LOUISVILLE, KY.--Ricky Brooks tossed his second complete game of the season to lead ECU to a 4-1 victory over Louisville Friday night on the opening night of Jim Patterson Stadium.
The Pirates improve to 19-13 overall and 5-8 in Conference USA play with the win while Louisville falls to 7-5 in conference and 17-13 overall.
Brooks (3-2) scattered nine hits, allowing just one run while striking out nine Cardinal batters. The sophomore right-hander did not walk a single batter in the contest.
Drew Costanzo was the lone Pirate with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with a run scored but second baseman Brett Lindgren was the difference for ECU, knocking a three-run double in the top of the fourth that proved to be the difference in the ballgame. Lindgren finished 1-for-2 on the night with a pair of sacrifice bunts.
J.T. LaFountain, Jorge Castillo and Logan Johnson all finished 2-for-4 in a losing effort
B.J. Rosenberg (3-2) suffered the loss for Louisville, throwing 8 1/3 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits while striking out six and walking two. Griffin Bailey came on in the ninth to retire the final two batters.
Costanzo's second hit of the game came in the top of the fourth when he singled to center, scoring Adam Witter from second to put the Pirates on the board first. East Carolina loaded the bases with three consecutive singles and after a Harrison Eldridge strikeout, Lindgren hit a two-strike, two-out offering into the gap in left-center, bringing home Jake Smith from third, Costanzo from second and Ryan Peisel from first to give ECU a 4-0 lead.
After LaFountain doubled to lead off the bottom of the fourth, Johnson brought him home with a double over Costanzo's head in left for the Cardinals first run of the game. Johnson was thrown out at third on the play to end the inning trying to stretch his hit into a triple.
ECU and Louisville will play the second game of the weekend series Saturday at 1 p.m. at Jim Patterson Stadium.
