East Carolina University
UAB
Long Ball Completes Sweep Of UAB
April 05, 2009 | Baseball
April 5, 2009
Game 1: ECU 15, UAB 9 (PDF) l Game 2: ECU 10, UAB 9 (PDF)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Sophomore Devin Harris drove in the winning runs in both games of the Conference USA doubleheader as No. 16 East Carolina completed the three-game sweep over UAB 15-9 and 10-9 Saturday at Young Memorial Field.
With the wins the Pirates improve to 25-5 overall an 8-1 in league play, its best start since the 2000 campaign when they also start the year 25-5. UAB falls to 16-13 overall and 1-5 in conference play and suffered its first sweep at home since the 2007 season when Rice took three from the Blazers.
Brad Mincey won his league leading seventh game moving to 7-1 on the season. The sophomore entered the game in the fourth frame and worked 3 1/3 innings allowing one run on four hits with a pair of walks and punch outs. Starter Kevin Brandt was replaced after allowing seven runs on seven hits with four strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings. Mike Wright (1.0 IP, 1 K), Patrick Somers (0.1 IP, 1 K) and Seth Simmons (0.2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 2 Ks) secured the Pirates win by working the final two innings. Simmons picked up his fifth save of the season.
Nick Graffeo fell to 1-2 on the year after allowing three runs (two earned) in four innings of relief. UAB right-hander Beau Pender lasted just two innings after surrendering six runs on nine hits. Blake Huddleston limited the Pirates to one run on two hits in the final three innings.
Just like game one of the doubleheader, both offenses came out swinging as both teams combined to score 10 runs through the first two innings. Drew Schieber put the Pirates up 2-0 in the first with a two-out double to left center that scored Trent Whitehead and Stephen Batts, who both singled in the frame.
After freshman Kevin Brandt sat down the Blazers in order in the first, ECU came back with four runs in the second to build a 6-2 lead thanks to six Pirate hits and a UAB error. Austin Homan continued his hot hitting with a single through the left side then moved to second on Zach Wright's single to right. Dustin Harrington singled on bunt then took second on an errant throw by the Digger Towe that scored Homan. Wright scored the second run of the inning on Whitehead's sac fly to right field. Ryan Wood followed with a double to right center, which extended his hit streak to 16 games, scoring Harrington. The final run of the inning came when Kyle Roller singled through the right side that scored Wood from second.
UAB put up a four-spot of their own in the bottom half of the inning thanks to a grand slam by Andrew Manning. Cody McMurry drew a walk to start the inning then moved to second when Austin Taylor drew the second free pass of the frame. Allen Aubin loaded the bases with a single before Manning brought everyone home with one swing of the bat to left field.
Towe pulled the Blazers within one, 6-5, in the third with an RBI single down the left field line that scored Brint Hardy from second. Hardy hit a line drive back up the middle that hit off Brandt then stole second, his 28th of the season to move into scoring position.
Batts gave ECU a two-run cushion when he led off the fourth with a solo shot to center field, his eighth home run of the season.
Jamal Austin and Hardy each laced RBI singles in the fourth frame to tie the game at seven. Aubin led off the inning with a double down the left field line then came around to score on Austin's single to left. Austin moved to second on Jonathan Merritt's single to left and then took third on Nick Crawford's fielder's choice before crossing home on Hardy's single.
Harrington broke a seven all tie with his fourth home run of the season in the fifth, a two run shot that put the Pirates up 9-7 scoring Wright ahead of him.
Cody McMurry drew the Blazers within one, 9-8, with a solo home run to left field, his ninth of the season in the seventh.
Harris got the run back for the Pirates in the top of the seventh, 10-8, on his sixth homer of the season straight away to center field (400 feet) over the batters eye, which stands 30-feet high.
Luke Stewart's 10th homer of the year brought the Blazers to within one, 10-9 in the bottom of the ninth, before Simmons fanned Austin to save his seventh career game.
In game one of the doubleheader, Harris was 3-for-4 with four RBI and drove in the would-be game winning run in the sixth inning to give ECU a 15-9 win, which clinched a series win for the Pirates.
Leading 9-3 in the top of the sixth, Harris drove a two-out single to right center scoring Roller from second giving ECU a 10-3 lead. Roller, who was 2-for-4 with three RBI, singled up the middle with two men down then moved to second when Schieber reached on a wild pitch strikeout before Harris' at-bat.
Seth Maness (3-0) picked up his third win of the season after working 5 1/3 innings where he allowed seven runs (five earned) on nine hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Sthil Sowers made his sixth appearance out of the pen going 1 2/3 innings giving up one run on three hits with a strikeout and a pair of walks. For the final three frames, ECU used four pitchers who held the Blazers without a hit and allowed one run.
Kyle Roberson dropped to 4-3 on the year after lasting 3 2/3 innings. He allowed nine runs on nine hits, including seven in the opening frame with five walks and two punch outs. James Oliver pitched five innings of relief surrendering six runs (all earned) on seven hits. Trey Vice worked the final one-third of an inning giving up two hits and one walk.
ECU put up a seven-spot in the top of the first inning to take an early 7-0 lead thanks to five hits and an UAB error. Whitehead reached on an infield single then took third on Wood's single through the right side. Batts loaded the bases with a walk for Roller, who also drew a walk himself and plated the Pirates first run when Whitehead touched home. Schieber reached on a fielding error that scored both Wood and Batts for an early 3-0 lead.
Harris kept the scoring going with an RBI single to short that pushed across Roller and put runners on first and second. Jared Avchen moved the runners up 90 feet on a sac bunt and Austin Homan cleared the bases with a double to left center making the score 6-0. The Pirates final run came when Whitehead singled for the second time in the inning, this time through the right side capping the score at 7-0.
UAB picked up a pair of runs in the bottom of the first cutting into the Pirates lead, 7-2. Jonathan Merritt doubled to right to start the inning then moved to third when Nick Crawford grounded out to first. Hardy drove in the Blazers first run when he reached on a Wood fielding error, scoring Merritt before he stole second and third base and came home on an Avchen throwing error.
ECU added two runs in the fourth and to take a 9-2 lead thanks to a RBI single be Scheiber and a bases loaded RBI walk by Harris.
UAB cut the Pirates lead to two, 10-8, after scoring a run in the fifth, four in the sixth and one in the seventh just before ECU busted the game wide open in the top of the ninth when they scored five runs to take a commanding 15-8 lead. Wood drove in a pair with a single to left, while Roller (single), Schieber (walk) and Harris (single) also added RBIs to cap the Pirates scoring.
McMurry's sac fly to center scored the ninth run of the game for the Blazers in the bottom of the ninth inning.
ECU will hit the road for a pair of midweek contests when they take on No. 5 North Carolina (Tuesday) and No. 20 UNC Wilmington (Wednesday) before hosting No. 2 Rice for a three-game C-USA series that will pit the top two teams in the conference.
