Maness Shuts Down Hawks In 11-2 Win

March 1, 2008

GREENVILLE, N.C. -Freshman Seth Maness struck out a career-high seven batters while four Pirates drove in two runs as East Carolina picked up its first win at home in the 2008 season defeating Monmouth 11-2.

The right-hander from Pinehurst, N.C. notched his first collegiate win in his second start for the Pirates (2-4) after working 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits. Fellow classmate Brad Mincey took over for Maness in the sixth frame going 2 2/3 innings and giving up three hits with one punch out. Brett Butts saw his first action of the season closing out the ninth inning.

Ryan Buch lasted one inning for the Hawks (1-1) giving up four runs (all earned) on one hit, walking five and striking out three. Kyle Bresse gave up seven runs on seven hits in 3 1/3 innings of relief. Brett Conner (2 2/3 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 1 K) and Andy McDonnell (1.0 IP) shut down the Pirates offense in the final 3 2/3 innings.

ECU jumped out on the Hawks early when Kyle Roller doubled to right center plating Harrison Eldridge and Stephen Batts putting ECU up 2-0. Eldridge drew the first of his three walks and then promptly stole the first of his three bases. After Batts walk to put runners at first and second Roller picked up his third multi-RBI game of the season.

In the second frame, ECU tacked on two more runs, 4-0, on Ryan Wood's game-winning RBI single to right that scored Brandon Henderson. Henderson was hit by a Buch pitch then took second when Trent Whitehead drew another Pirate walk. After Eldridge moved the runners up 90 feet on his sac bunt that set up Wood's single. Batts drove in the first of his two runs on the day with a sac fly to right that scored Whitehead.

Monmouth got into the scoring action in the top half of the third when Shawn Teters grounded into a double play scoring Brett Holland. Holland singled through the right side to lead off the inning the moved to second on a Maness failed pickoff and advanced to third on Kyle Higgins infield single.

The Pirates kept scoring in the third plating three more run pushing their lead to 7-1. Corey Kemp led off with a double down the left field line the scored on Drew Schiebers single to right. Henderson followed Schieber's at-bat with another Pirate double, putting runners on second and third with one out. After Jonathan Ratledge loaded the bases with his pinch-hit walk, Eldridge singled to right field plating Schieber for the final run of the frame.

Teters' single up the middle scored the Hawks final run of the game in the fifth making the score 7-2. John Dennis took first base when he was plunked by Maness then moved to second on Higgins to right center before coming home on Teters single.

Henderson highlighted a four-run fifth for the Pirates with his second home run of the season. Schieber doubled to right center then touched home on Henderson's blast to left field that landed in the Williams Jungle parking lot. Eldridge drew a one-out walk, stole second and third then came home on Batts' lone hit of the afternoon, a single through the left side. Woods also scored on the play when Batts' tried to stretch his single into a double to cap the scoring at 11-2.

In all, the Pirates collected 10 hits, drew nine walks and only struck out three times at the plate. On the mound, ECU did not allow a walk in the game but tied a school record by hitting six Hawk batters.

The Pirates and Hawks will play the rubber match of the three-game series Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. inside Lewis Field at Clark-LeClair Stadium.

GAME NOTES:

Four Pirates drove in two runs on the afternoon: Batts, Henderson, Roller and Wood.

As a team, the Pirates have stolen 12-of-13 bases.

Stephen Batts currently has a five-game hitting streak and going back to last season has collected at least one hit in 34-of-35 games played.

Harrison Eldridge was a perfect 3-for-3 on the base paths and is 7-for-7 on the season. A year ago he stole 15-of-20 base attempts. He finished the game going 1-for-1 with three walks and a sac bunt.

Drew Schieber was a home run away from the cycle hitting a single in the third, a double in the fifth and a triple in the sixth.

Brandon Henderson scored a team-best three runs.

Freshman Trent Whitehead recorded his first collegiate start when he took left field at the beginning of the game.

John Ratledge and Austin Homan saw their first action in the outfield this season.

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