East Carolina University
Towson
Pirates Come Back To Top Towson 6-5
February 25, 2011 | Softball
Feb. 25, 2011
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GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina and Towson exchanged leads four times, but the Pirates came back for a 6-5 victory over the Tigers Friday night. ECU (9-4) got the game-winning run in the bottom of sixth when freshman Jordan Lewis drove in a pair with a double down the left-field line. Lewis finished the game with three hits, four runs batted in and her first career home run. Junior Suzanne Riggs also added her second home run in as many games. Lewis and Riggs combined for all six of the team's RBI and five of the 10 hits.
Senior Toni Paisley (8-2) recorded the win for the Pirates, despite giving up her first extra-base hits since Feb. 13 against Maryland. Paisley surrendered seven hits and five runs, three earned, and struck out 14, marking her 40th career game with 10 or more whiffs. Katie Lingmai (2-2) suffered the loss for the Tigers after throwing five innings and allowing 10 hits and six runs. She struck out seven and issued a pair of walks. Paige Martin came in and went the final inning for Towson.
The Pirates took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first on Riggs' second career home run. Freshman Kristi Oshiro scored after drawing a walk to open the frame. In her nine games batting leadoff, she has started the Pirate first inning with a free pass six times. After Riggs' homer, the Pirates put two runners on with two outs as senior Sissy Jimenez was hit by a pitch and freshman Alex Fieldhouse drew a four-pitch walk, but a fly out ended the threat.
Towson (3-4) answered with three runs in the top of the second to go ahead 3-2. Courtney Wittner was hit by a pitch to open the inning. After a strikeout, Erika Stasch doubled off the wall in left field to put runners on second and third. Bina Abbott followed with a high pop up on the infield. Oshiro seemed to be camped under the ball by second base, but it appeared to get caught up in the wind and blew away from her. Wittner scored on the hit and Stasch also crossed home when Chelsea Kaluhiokalani-Glackin picked up the ball and threw it into the Towson dugout trying to get Stasch heading for third. Abbott advanced to third on the error. A groundout by Lindsey Kent plated Abbott and gave the Tigers a 3-2 advantage. A strikeout allowed Paisley to escape without further damage.
ECU answered with a run in the bottom of the inning to tie the game at 3-3. Freshman Jasmine Robbins started the third with a single to left field before Kaluhiokalani-Glackin was hit by a pitch. Oshiro dropped down a bunt single, loading the bases. Lewis followed with a single to left that drove in Robbins to knot the contest. The Pirates could not capitalize with more runs as a strikeout and pair of fielder's choices closed the inning.
The Tigers again had the answer in the top of the third, cashing in a run with two outs and regaining a 4-3 lead. Sammi DiPompo singled up the middle, stole second and scored on a Wittner short fly for a single into left center.
Both teams went quietly until the bottom of the fourth when Lewis hit her first career home run to left center with two outs to knot the game at 4-4. Riggs followed with a triple down the left-field line, but a strikeout looking was the third out.
In the bottom of the fifth, the Pirates had a chance to add a run, but failed to push it across. Fieldhouse hit a one-out double to right center, but a fly out and strikeout left her stranded.
Towson went ahead again in the top of the sixth 5-4 with a home run by Stasch off one of the flagpoles in left field. It was the first home run surrendered by Paisley since March 30, 2010, at UNC Greensboro.
The Pirates rebounded to take the lead for the final time in the bottom of the sixth. Freshman pinch hitter Mahrisch Medina led off with a single to center field for her first career base knock. Oshiro fell behind in the count 0-2, but came back to double over the head of the center fielder. Medina went to third on the play. Lewis came through again, doubling down the left-field line and plating both runners to put the Pirates back in the lead 6-5.
Paisley retired the Tigers in order in the seventh on a fly out and pair of strikeouts to push ECU's winning streak to five games and improve the team to 7-1 at home.
East Carolina returns to action at the Pirate Clash tomorrow with games at approximately 2:00 and 4:00 p.m. against Fairfield and Lehigh, respectively.
