East Carolina University
UCF
Maness And Sutton Lead ECU Over UCF 10-2
March 29, 2008 | Baseball
March 29, 2008
ORLANDO, FLA. - Seth Maness worked seven strong innings on the mound with five strikeouts and Broc Sutton banged out a career-high four hits while driving in two as East Carolina evened the Conference USA series with No. 19 UCF with a 10-2 win at Jay Bergman Field Saturday night.
Maness recorded his fifth consecutive win to improve to 5-0 on the season for the Pirates (17-7, 2-3 C-USA). He scattered six hits over the seven frames allowing two runs and two walks. Maness retired 12 of the first 14 batters he faced in the first four innings allowing one hit and one walk during that span. Senior Bailey Daniels worked the eighth inning surrendering one hit and one walk with one punch out. Brad Mincey made his ninth appearance of the season working a perfect ninth inning.
Kyle Sweat suffered his first loss of the season falling to 3-1 for the Knights (22-5, 2-3 C-USA). Sweat lasted 3 2/3 innings allowing six runs (five earned) on 10 hits with one walk and three strikeouts. Brennan Dobbins (1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 1 K), Brian Griggs (2.1 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 K), Paul Cinder (1 IP, 2 H) and Matt Manning (1 IP, 1 H) were all used out of the pen to close the game.
Eight of the nine starters in ECU's line up collected at least one hit and seven of the nine pounded out multiple hits led by Sutton's four. Stephen Batts, Brandon Henderson and Corey Kemp all recorded three hits on the night, while Harrison Eldridge, Dustin Harrington and Ryan Wood each finished with two. Batts and Kemp drove in a team-best three runs and Sutton had two RBI.
ECU wasted little time in getting on the board as they took an early 1-0 lead in the first inning on back-to-back hits by Batts and Kemp. With two outs, Batts singled up the middle then promptly stole second base to get into scoring position. Kemp followed with a double to right-center scoring Batts.
In the second inning ECU added to its lead pushing three runs across for a 4-0 advantage. Henderson singled up the middle then moved to second on Harrington's single to left field. After Jamie Ray reached on a fielder's choice to put runners on the corners, Sutton doubled down the left field line plating Henderson. Eldridge followed with a sac fly that scored Ray before Wood singled through the left side scoring Sutton for the final run of the frame.
The Pirates extended their lead to 6-0 in the fourth with a pair of two out runs. Wood drew a two out walk and scored on Batts double to right-center. Kemp followed Batts with a double of his own to right field sending Batts home.
Five consecutive one out hits highlighted a three-run fifth that saw ECU's lead grow to nine, 9-0. After Ray grounded out to second, Sutton and Eldridge singled through the right side, Wood singled to left and then Batts laced a single up the middle with the bases loaded scoring Sutton and Eldridge. Kemp finished the inning with another single plating Wood.
After ECU scored a run in the sixth, UCF finally got on the board in the bottom of the frame when Shane Brown hit a solo home run to left field making the score 10-1.
UCF added one more run in the seventh when Brandon Romans singled up the middle scoring Eric Kallstrom, who had a team-best two base knocks. Kallstrom started the frame with a double to left-center then moved to third on Chadd Hartman's ground out to first before touching home capping the game scoring at 10-2.
ECU and UCF will play the series finale Sunday afternoon with a first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m.
GAME NOTES
