East Carolina University
Tulane
ECU Wins Game Two Against Tulane 12-5
April 18, 2009 | Baseball
April 18, 2009
NEW ORLEANS, La. - No. 17 East Carolina (28-11, 10-4) used a pair of three run home runs from Devin Harris and Ryan Wood to swing past Tulane (21-17, 4-7) 12-5 in game two of a three-game Conference USA series Saturday afternoon at Greer Field inside Turchin Stadium.
Seth Maness (5-0) picked up his fifth win of the season going 5 2/3 innings where he allowed five runs (all earned) on seven hits with four strikeouts. The Pinehurst native scattered just two hits over five innings before being saddled with five runs on five hits in the sixth. Sophomore Seth Simmons, who recorded his sixth save of the season, entered the game in the sixth with two outs and forced Matt Ryan into a fielder's choice to end the inning. Simmons would go on to allow just two hits in 3 2/3 innings with a pair of punch outs.
Aaron Loop (1-3) lasted just two innings surrendering six runs on six hits with two walks and two strikeouts before being lifted for Taylor Rogers, who allowed four runs on five hits in 4 1/3 innings of work. Ryan Doiron gave up a pair of runs on four hits in two-thirds of an inning, while Mason Griffin worked two scoreless frames to end the game.
Devin Harris capped a four-run inning with his 10th home run of the season, a three-run shot to left center in the first inning. Ryan Wood drew his fourth walk of the series with one out then took second when Brandon Henderson was plunked by a Loup breaking ball. Kyle Roller followed with a RBI single to left that scored Wood from second. Harris cleared the bases on a 2-2 offering that went to left center putting ECU up 4-0.
Dustin Harrington hit a shot off the scoreboard in left center putting the Pirates up 5-0 in the second inning. For Harrington it was his seventh homer of the season and third of the week (two vs. Campbell).
The Pirates upped their lead to six, 6-0, in the third when Harrington grounded into a bases loaded double-play that scored Stephen Batts from third.
Batts continued the Pirate offensive assault driving in Henderson from second on a RBI single to right center putting ECU up 7-0 in the fourth. With two down, Henderson singled to left then promptly stole second just before Roller drew walk putting runners on first and second for Batts' at-bat.
ECU pushed its lead to eight, 8-0, in the sixth on Harris' sac fly to left that platted Henderson.
Tulane finally got the sticks going in the bottom half the sixth scoring five runs on five hits cutting the lead to three, 8-5. Ryan led off with a single up the middle, which was followed by another single from Josh Prince putting runners at second and third, when Prince moved to second on a fielding error by Batts. After Maness fanned Scott Powell, Sam Honeck doubled down the right field line scoring both Ryan and Prince. Jeremy Schaffer flied out to left moving Honeck over to third. Drew Allain put runners on the corners when he was plunked by a Maness fastball. Seth Henry followed with a double down the left field line scoring Honeck before Evan Mistich roped a two-RBI single to left to cap the scoring at five.
ECU responded to the Waves five runs with four of their own thanks to a towering three-run shot by Wood that hit off the top of the score board and a Harris RBI single to right pushing the lead to 12-5.
The Pirates and Wave will be back in action for the rubber-match of the three-game series Sunday afternoon with a first pitch scheduled for 1 p.m. (EDT).
Post-Game Notes:
