East Carolina University
Richmond
Pirates Defeat Spiders 15-4 in Midweek Play
March 17, 2009 | Baseball
March 17, 2009
No. 23 ECU 15, Richmond 4 (PDF)
GREENVILLE, N.C. - Senior Brandon Henderson and junior Kyle Roller combined to drive in nine runs as No. 23 East Carolina picked up a midweek win over Richmond 15-4 Tuesday night inside Lewis Field at Clark-LeClair Stadium.
Henderson was 3-for-3 with five RBI and smacked a grand slam in the third inning, while Roller was 1-for-4 with four RBI including a two-run homer in the sixth. The Pirates (12-4) pounded out 13 hits on the night marking the 14th time this season they reached the double-digit mark in base knocks.
Patrick Somers (1-1) picked up his first collegiate win in relief working 2 1/3 innings where he allowed one run on three hits. Starter Mike Anderson, who was a predetermined pitch count, went 2 2/3 frames giving up a run (earned) on one hit with three walks and three punch outs. Sophomore Brad Mincey fanned a career-high five batters in two innings of relief, while Sthil Sowers struck out the side in the eighth. Ryan Wood made his fourth appearance out of the bullpen surrendering two runs on one hit with two walks and two strikeouts.
Ian Marshall suffered the loss for the Spiders (9-4) falling to 1-1 on the year. The right-hander allowed six runs (five earned) on four hits with two walks in two innings. Anthony Cafagna relieved Marshall in the third going two innings where he allowed two runs on two hits with a strikeout. Matt Zielinski (1 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 3 K), Josh Horn (1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 BB), Brian Alas (1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K), Jared Bard (2/3 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 1 K) and Kyle Leith (1/3 IP, 1 K) closed out the game for Richmond.
Henderson's grand slam, the third of his career, in the bottom of the third highl-ighted a six-run frame putting the Pirates up 8-2. Austin Homan led off with a double down the left field line then came around to score when Wood reached on an error. With runners at second and third and no outs, Stephen Batts drew the first of three free passes on the night, an intentional walk, to load the bases for Roller, who pushed across Trent Whitehead when he was plunked by a Cafagna pitch setting up Henderson's bases clearing home run to left.
ECU drew first blood in the bottom of the first inning taking a 2-0 lead. Stephen Batts drove in the games first run on a sac fly to right that scored Trent Whitehead from third. Whitehead led off the frame with double to left-center then took third on Ryan Wood's single to left. The Pirates second run came on Henderson's infield RBI single to third pushing across Wood.
Mike Mergenthaler knotted the game at two in the third with a two-run blast to right field off Somers. Cameron Brown drew a one-out walk just before Mergenthaler's second homer of the season.
ECU padded its lead to 15-2 after plating three runs in the sixth, one in seventh and three more in the eighth.
The Spiders plated two runs in the top of the ninth to draw the score to 15-4 scoring on a Ryan Metzroth single and a Ryan Mallory bases loaded walk.
The Pirates will be back in action tomorrow night when they play host to Norfolk State with a 6 p.m. first pitch scheduled.
Post-Game Notes:
