East Carolina University
UCF
Long Ball and Errors Sink Pirates, 14-1
May 16, 2010 | Baseball
May 16, 2010
ORLANDO, Fla. - Nick Cicio tossed a complete game allowing one run, while Shane Brown, Chris Duffy and Jonathan Griffin each hit home runs as UCF salvaged game three of the Conference USA series 14-1 in seven innings Sunday afternoon at Jay Bergman Field. With the win UCF improves to 31-21 overall and 8-13 in league play, while ECU drops to 30-22 overall and 10-11.
Cicio's (4-3) only mistake on the afternoon was leaving a 1-0 offering over the plate to Jared Avchen, who smacked his second home run of the series and seventh of the season. The right-hander scattered three hits over the seven innings issuing four walks and striking out four.
Kevin Brandt suffered his seventh loss of the season after being tagged for four runs (all earned) on six hits in three innings. From there the Pirate bullpen would give up 10 runs over the next four frames.
UCF jumped out to its first lead of the series on a RBI single by Duffy. Brown walked to start the frame then took second on Darnell Sweeney's ground out to first and took third on Ronnie Richardson's fly ball to right field. Duffy, who entered the game hitting .430 on the season, roped a single down the right field line scoring Brown from third.
The Knights padded their lead pushing across seven runs in the fourth inning to take an 8-0 lead. Duffy blasted a three-run home run, his 18th of the season, and Jonathan Griffin followed with a solo blast to left field to highlight the frame. Three consecutive singles by Chris Taladay, Ryan Breen and Beau Taylor loaded the bases for Brown, who roped a single to center scoring Taladay and Breen. Sweeney continued the hitting by reaching on an infield single loaded the bases once again his time for Ronnie Richardson, who drove home Taylor on a sac fly to center setting up Duffy and Griffin's back-to-back jacks to left field.
Avchen's solo homer down the left field line to start the fifth finally put the Pirates on the board cutting the lead to seven, 8-1.
UCF put the game out of reach scoring five runs in the fifth on three ECU errors and got a solo home run off the bat from Brown in the sixth to push its lead to 14-1.
ECU will have a short break as they will be back in action next Tuesday, May 18 when they play host to James Madison. First pitch is scheduled for 7 p.m. (EDT).
