East Carolina University
Albany
Baseball Takes Series Opener From UAlbany, 5-1
February 27, 2015 | Baseball
GREENVILLE, N.C. - Evan Kruczynski tossed seven scoreless innings and Luke Lowery belted his fourth home run of the season lifting East Carolina to a 5-1 series opening win over the University at Albany Friday afternoon at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium.
Lowery, who hit three home runs in the 12th Annual Keith LeClair Classic just a week ago, continued to show his power at the plate sending a line-drive shot over the left center field wall with a runner on first staking the Pirates (3-4) to a 2-0 lead in the fourth frame. With two outs, Eric Tyler reached on throwing error and came around to score on Lowery's American Athletic Conference leading fourth home run.
Kruczynski (2-1) battled throughout the day retiring the side in order four times including his final three innings. The left-hander allowed just two runners into scoring position through seven innings of work, where he gave up four hits, walked two and struck out six. Reid Love picked up his first career save for the Pirates tossing 1.2 scoreless frames with three punch-outs. Jimmy Boyd allowed one run (earned) on two hits in one-third of an inning.
UAlbany's starter Brendan Ryan (1-1) gave up three runs (one earned) on six hits with a walk and six strikeouts in seven innings. The lefty fanned at least one batter in five of seven innings and had four through three frames. Joey Moore worked the eighth inning allowing two runs (one earned) on one hit with a pair of walks.
Holding on to a two-run lead, ECU plated a run in the fifth when Charlie Yorgen doubled home Jackson Mims with a shot down the right field line. Mims started the fifth with a double to left center before racing home on Yorgen's second two-base hit of the season extending the lead to 3-0.
The Great Danes (1-3) finally broke through in the eighth cutting the Pirates lead back down to two, 3-1. After Boyd spelled Kruczynski, Will Miller was hit by a pitch then took second on Alex Lushkevich's single to left field. Karson Canaday followed by reaching on a fielder's choice and landed on second when Yorgen overthrew first trying to turn a double play. Miller scored on the play for UAlbany's lone run of the contest.
An RBI single by Jeff Nelson and sac fly by Travis Watkins in the bottom half of the eighth gave ECU a four-run cushion making it a 5-1 contest. Tyler and Garrett Brooks drew consecutive one-out walks before Nelson's single to left field plated Tyler. With runners on first and second, Brooks moved over to third when UAlbany's catcher Craig Lepre tried to pick off Nelson at first and two pitches later Brooks tagged up on Watkins' fly ball to center.
The Pirates out-hit the Great Danes 7-6 on the afternoon with Nelson recording his first multi-hit game in the Purple and Gold. Parker Lamm extended his hit streak to seven games with a single up the middle in the first and Lowery smacked his fourth homer in his last four contests.
ECU and UAlbany will return to the diamond Saturday afternoon for game two of the non-conference series with a 2 p.m. (EST) scheduled first pitch.
