East Carolina University
Albany
Pirates Complete Sweep Of Great Danes, 5-3
March 01, 2015 | Baseball
GREENVILLE, N.C. - East Carolina completed a three-game non-conference sweep of University at Albany Sunday afternoon, 5-3, at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium.
In a three-all ball game entering the bottom half of the seventh, ECU (5-4) scored a pair of runs to take the lead for good picking up its fourth-straight win of the season. Bryce Harman drove in the game-winning run on a RBI double to right field that plated Charlie Yorgen from first for a 4-3 advantage. On the same play, Harman took third when UAlbany right fielder Eric Mueller had trouble picking up the ball due to the cold and wet playing conditions. Luke Lowery followed with an RBI ground out to third allowing Harman to touch home.
Kirk Morgan (1-0) notched his first collegiate win tossing 2.1 scoreless innings of relief with a pair of strikeouts and Reid Love recorded his second save of the weekend working the ninth frame. Starter David Lucroy went 5.2 innings giving up three runs (all earned) on seven hits with a season-high six strikeouts. Nick Durazo walked the lone batter he faced in the sixth before passing the ball to Morgan.
Stephen Woods (0-2) took the loss giving up two runs (both earned) in 2.1 innings with a walk and strikeout. Matt Gallup went 5.2 frames in the start where he surrendered three runs (two earned) on six hits with a pair of walks and one punch out.
UAlbany (1-5) struck first plating a pair of runs in the second frame for an early 2-0 lead. Evan Harasta got things going with a leadoff single through the left side and Shawn Blake followed with a double to left field putting runners on second and third with no outs. Mueller drove in the games first run with an infield single to short and after Craig Lepre's sac bunt pushed Blake to third and Mueller to second, Karson Canaday plated Blake with an RBI groundout to second.
The Pirates answered in the third knotting the game at two-all. Hunter Allen walked to start the frame and Parker Lamm followed with a single up the middle extending his hit streak to eight games. Yorgen reached on a bunt single to load the bases for Harman, who sent a long fly ball to left easily allowing Allen to tag from third. Lamm would come around to score from second when Lowery reached on a fielder's choice on an errant throw by Canaday during a potential double-play attempt.
Lowery gave ECU a 3-2 lead in the fifth inning on an RBI double to right field that pushed across Yorgen, who was hit by a pitch earlier in the frame with one out. Harman singled to left putting runners on the corners for Lowery's fifth extra base hit of the year.
Canaday atoned for his throwing miscue in the top of the sixth tying the game at three. Blake and Mueller laced consecutive one-out singles and with two away, Canaday doubled to right field scoring Blake.
Harman and Lamm led the Pirates offensively with a pair of hits, while Harman and Lowery each drove in a pair and Yorgen scored twice.
The Pirates will be back in action on Tuesday, Mar. 3 when they travel to NC State for the 6 p.m. midweek matchup. ECU returns home Wednesday, Mar. 4 to play the first of six-straight games at Clark-LeClair Stadium when it hosts Old Dominion at 4 p.m.
