East Carolina University
Elon
Pirates Rally Past Elon For 12-7 Win
April 09, 2008 | Baseball
April 9, 2008
ELON, N.C. - Broc Sutton hit a pair of two-run home runs and No. 28 East Carolina scored nine runs in the final two innings to take a 12-7 win over in-state foe Elon Wednesday night at Latham Park.
During the seven-run eighth, ECU (23-9) sent 10 consecutive hitters to the plate after Corey Kemp struck out to lead off the frame. Brandon Henderson cranked a two-run shot to center that scored Kyle Roller and Sutton hit his first career homer, a two-run shot, that plated Trent Whitehead. Corey Kemp drove in the winning run on a bases loaded walk and Roller picked up his fourth hit of the game and second of the inning with a two-RBI single.
Josh Ruhlman improved to 3-1 on the season out of the bullpen working a scoreless 2 2/3 innings .... ECU starter Daniel Holder lasted 1 2/3 innings allowing two runs (both unearned) on three hits with one walk and two strikeouts before giving way to Bailey Daniels, who went 2 1/3 innings allowing three runs on three hits. Matt Laney (1.0 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB) and Seth Simmons (1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 K) bridged the gap to Ruhlman.
Jared Kernodle dropped to 0-1 on the season after working 1/3 off an inning allowing three runs on two hits with one walk. Starter Kenneth Ferrer went five innings giving up two runs (one earned) on five hits with three walks and four punch outs. J.D. Reichenbach worked two innings of relief allowing one run on three hits with one walk and two strikeouts before the Jesse Lewter came in relief. Greg Jones (0.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R), Thomas Girwood (0.0 IP, 1 H) and Greg Amorosso (1.1 IP, 2 H, 2R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K) closed out the game.
Bennett Davis put Elon (26-8) up 1-0 in the bottom of the first with an RBI single to right field that scored Harry Austin from second base. Austin was plunked by a Holder pitch to lead off the frame and moved to second on Donny Jobe sac bunt.
Jamie Ray knotted the game at one in the second inning when he grounded out to second driving in Kyle Roller from third. Back-to-back singles through the left side by Roller and Brandon Henderson and a passed ball by put runners at second and third with one out for Ray.
Elon plated a run in the bottom of the second to regain the lead 2-1 on Matt Melillo's ground out to first that scored. Chase Austin drew a leadoff walk then moved to third on a failed pickoff attempt by Holder setting up Elon's run.
Davis put Elon up two, 3-1 in the third when he grounded out to third scoring Harry Austin, who led off the inning with an infield single to third. Jobe pushed Austin to second on his ground out and a passed ball landed Austin on third.
Elon plated two more runs in the fourth pushing its lead to 5-1. Cory Harrilchak led off with a single through the left side then came home on Chase Austin's triple before Austin touched home on Neal Pritchard's sac fly to right.
Ryan Wood cut into the Phoenix lead in the fifth with a triple down the right field line that scored Harrison Eldridge from first extending his current hit streak to 11 games.
Corey Kemp smacked his team-leading ninth home run, a solo shot to dead center field, cutting into Elon's lead, 5-3 to start the sixth.
Melillo recouped two runs in the bottom of the sixth on his second home run of the season, a two-run shot to right field off of Simmons pushing Elon's lead back to four, 7-3.
ECU added two more runs in the ninth on Sutton's second homer of the game, a two-run shot pushing the lead to 12-7.
The Pirates will be back at home this weekend when they play host to Conference USA foe Marshall on Friday night with a first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m.
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