East Carolina Rolls Over USC-Beaufort in Fall Doubleheader
October 11, 2014 | Softball
GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina opened the fall season with an offensive explosion as the Pirates defeated USC-Beaufort, 6-1, in the first game and 16-0 in the nightcap. The Pirates launched a total of four home runs with three coming in the second game of the day.
The Pirates got off to a good start as ECU gelled together on the field. East Carolina used solid pitching to hold the Sand Sharks to just one run in the first game which was a 10-inning affair, and combine for a shutout in the second, a seven-inning contest.
"It was great to play somebody else because we've only been practicing for about a week now as a team," Head coach Beth Keylon-Randolph said. "You never really know where you stand, so it's always good to see somebody else. I'm very pleased with how our girls played today. I think we had a lot of energy and excitement. Our stamina, thanks to our strength and conditioning coaches and our practices, has really pushed our kids a lot. I think we're in a good position. We got a lot of people and a lot of action, so it gave us some things to work with."
Freshman leftfielder Mary Sloan Bradford led off the game with a triple to right-centerfield and came around to score on an illegal pitch to put the Pirates on the board first. After drawing a walk in the first inning, redshirt senior catcher Abby Wynne came around to score on a Casey Alcorn single to give ECU all the runs it would need.
However, the Pirates tacked on another run in the fourth to give ECU a 3-0 lead. After the Sand Sharks cut the Pirates' lead to two (3-1) in the eighth, East Carolina tallied three runs in the ninth inning highlighted by a two-run homer off the bat of sophomore first baseman Ali Ramirez.
Senior right-handed pitcher Caroline Umphlett was the starter as she collected the win after allowing just four hits through five innings of work without surrendering a run. Sarah Christian finished the game for Umphlett as she allowed one run on three hits in five innings to give ECU a 6-1 victory over USC-Beaufort.
The Pirates dominated the second game as they sent all nine batters to the plate in the first inning en route to scoring six runs in the frame. East Carolina extended its advantage to 8-0 after freshman Karlie Smith belted a pinch-hit two-run home run. Ramirez followed suit and slammed her second homer of the day to push the Pirates' lead to nine (9-0).
With a more than comfortable lead, freshman right-hander Ashley Cruise controlled the game from the circle as she tossed a three-hit shutout and fanned seven batters in her collegiate debut to collect the victory.
East Carolina was not done scoring as the Pirates plated seven runs in the sixth inning to extend their lead to 16-0. The Pirates' seven-run inning was highlighted by a leadoff home run from sophomore catcher Alex Mycek and a two-run triple from Bradford, her second of the day.
The Pirates' defense was solid as it did not allow a run in the seven-inning night cap as East Carolina went on to win the game, 16-0.
"I think our kids really believe in themselves when they're in the batter's box and that's the way we want to keep it," Keylon-Randolph said of the offensive attack by the Pirates in game two. "Hitting is a game of failure, so I think it's really important that they have a lot of freedom and that they're able to go up there and hit the ball and have a good time. Something we instill in our kids is to work hard and try to take good pitches. The kids are doing a good job of allowing me to adjust them a little bit if I need to."
ECU will be back on the field Friday, October 17, at 5 p.m. when it welcomes Pitt Community College for a 10- and seven-inning doubleheader at ECU Softball Stadium.
