East Carolina University
Houston
Pirates Drop Heartbreaker To Cougars, 7-6
May 22, 2010 | Baseball
May 22, 2010
GREENVILLE, N.C. - Matt Creel's pinch-hit three-run home run in the seventh inning lifted Houston to a 7-6 win over East Carolina Friday night at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium. With the win the Cougars secure a series win, a spot in the Conference USA Tournament and improves to 24-29 overall and 11-12 in league play, while the Pirates drop to 30-25 overall and 10-13.
Trailing 5-4 heading to the seventh, Houston pushed across three runs to give them the lead, which they would not relinquish. Zak Presley and M.P. Cokinos drew back-to-back walks to start the frame and Creel smoked a first pitch high fastball offering from Seth Simmons to give Houston its first and only lead of the game.
William Kankel (3-6) picked up the win after allowing six runs (all earned) on seven hits with six strikeouts in 6 1/3 innings. Creel recorded his eighth save of the season pitching 2 2/3 scoreless innings of relief.
Simmons (2-4) suffered the loss allowing three runs (all earned) on three hits with three walks and three punch outs in 3 1/3 innings. Starter Seth Maness gave up four runs on a career-high 14 hits with four strikeouts in 5 2/3 frames in the no decision.
The Pirates jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning on a John Wooten two-run homer. Trent Whitehead walked to open the game and was forced out when Kyle Roller reached on a fielder's choice. Roller came around to score on Wooten's blast to straight away center field.
Houston scratched across a run in the top of the second on Ryan Still's single that plated Chris Wallace to cut the lead to one, 2-1. Wallace singled through the left side with one out and moved to second on Austin Gracey's single to left before crossing home on Still's single back up the middle.
Whitehead's two-RBI single in the bottom half of the second pushed ECU's lead to 4-1. Philip Clark walked with one out, stole second and Chris Gosik walked the freshman duo completed a double steal to move into scoring position for Whitehead's single up the middle.
Houston wouldn't go away quietly scoring run in the third on Ramsey's home run to right field and two in the fourth on Blake Kelso's sac fly to right and Ansley's solo home to left field, knotting the game at four.
Wooten put the Pirates back on top in the fifth, 5-4, with his second round-tripper of the evening, sending a shot to left field.
After the three-run seventh by Houston, Corey Thompson drew the Pirates within one, 7-6, on a solo home run to right field.
The Pirates and Cougars will close out the series Saturday afternoon in the final regular season game for both squads. ECU will look to try and lock down one of the final two spots for next week's C-USA Tournament with a win against Houston.
