East Carolina University
UNC-Wilmington
Pirates Fall To Seahawks 4-2
March 24, 2015 | Baseball
WILMINGTON, N.C. - Chris Gaffney's three-run home run in the second inning was all the scoring UNC Wilmington needed as it picked up midweek win over East Carolina, 4-2, Tuesday night at Brooks Field.
With the win the Seahawks improve to 16-6 on the season and extends their current win streak to four games. The Pirates fall to 16-9 on the year and have dropped 3 of their last 4 contests.
Whitman Barnes (4-0) picked up the win tossing 1.2 scoreless frames out of the bullpen issuing one walk and striking out two. Starter Justin Crump allowed both Pirate runs (earned) on five hits with three strikeouts in 4.2 innings. The trio of Austin Magestro (1.0 IP, 1 K), Jordan Ramsey (1.0 IP, 1 K) and Jared Gesell (1.0 IP, 1 K) worked the final three frames allowing one hit. Gesell notched his second save of the season.
Reid Love (2-2) was saddled with the loss surrendering four runs (all earned) on seven hits with four strikeouts in 4.1 innings. Joe Ingle recorded a career-high seven strikeouts in which he fanned all seven batters he faced in 2.2 innings. The one out he didn't record via a strikeout came when Travis Watkins threw out a runner to end the bottom of the fifth. Nick Durazo tossed a scoreless eighth with a pair of punch-outs.
Watkins recorded two of the Pirates six hits, while Yorgen smacked his second home run to extend his on-base streak to 25 games. Garrett Brooks, Bryce Harman and Kirk Morgan also recorded base hits on the night.
UP NEXT:
ECU returns home to play host to in-state foe High Point on Wednesday, Mar. 25 with a 6:30 p.m. scheduled first pitch ... Wednesday's game has been designated as March Midweek Madness ... Fans that bring their busted NCAA bracket will receive $5 admission.
How It Happened:
Chris Gaffney's three-run homer in the bottom of the second gave UNCW a 3-1 lead, which it would never relinquish Gavin Stupienski and Zach Canada recorded consecutive singles before Terence Connelly's sac bunt moved them both into scoring position. Gaffney cleared the bases on a 3-2 offering from Love.
Charlie Yorgen gave ECU an early 1-0 lead belting a solo home run in the top of the first, his second of the season and career.
ECU responded with a run in the top of the fourth thanks to Travis Watkins' sac fly that scored Luke Lowery from third. Lowery was hit by a pitch to start the frame then took third on Bryce Harman's single through the right side before crossing home on shot to deep center pulling the Pirates within one, 3-2.
UNCW padded its lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth on Steven Linkous' RBI single. Brian Mims led off the frame with a triple to right and trotted home on Linkous base hit to left.
Inside The Box Score:
ECU left six runners on base compared to UNCW's two ... The Pirates had 16 fly-ball outs and two ground outs, to just a pair of fly-outs by the Seahawks and six grounders ... ECU retired 9 of the last 10 UNCW batters via strikeout and finished the game with a season-high 13 and did not walk a single batter ... The Pirates leadoff batter reached base twice, while UNCW was 4-for-8 in the top spot of the order.
Game Notes:
Yorgen's on-base streak reached 25 games with his solo homer in the first innings ... Eric Tyler's hit streak ended at eight games with an 0-for-4 performance at the plate ... Bryce Harman (21 games) and Watkins (17) both extended their streaks of reaching base safely ... Since starting the season 0-3, ECU has won 16 of its last 22 games.
