East Carolina University
UCF
ECU Completes Weekend Sweep Of UCF, 6-5
April 26, 2015 | Baseball
Box Score 
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Game Highlights
GREENVILLE, N.C. - Jacob Wolfe worked six-plus solid innings while Luke Lowery belted his ninth home run of the season helping East Carolina to a 6-5 series sweep of UCF in American Athletic Conference action Sunday afternoon at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium.
With the win the Pirates (29-16, 9-6 AAC) extended their current winning streak to six games, while UCF (26-19, 5-10 AAC) have now dropped five in a row.
Wolfe (3-1), who started for the second time this week, picked up the win allowing a pair of runs (both earned) on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts sin 6.2 innings. Evan Voliva notched his first career save facing one batter in the ninth.
Joe Ingle appeared in 22nd game out of the bullpen relieving Wolfe in the seventh with a runner on second and two outs. The tall right-hander closed the frame getting Erik Barber to fly out to third in foul territory. Jimmy Boyd worked an inning out of the pen allowing two runs (both earned) on four hits with three strikeouts. David Lucroy saw his action for the second time this week in relief working two-thirds of an inning where he surrendered one run (earned) on a hit while walking three.
Robby Howell (4-6) took the loss allowing all six of ECU's runs on nine hits with three free passes and three strikeouts. Thomas Parker worked the final two frames tossing with a pair of punch-outs.
UCF out-hit ECU 13-9 on the day getting a pair of three-hit performances from James Vasquez and Tommy Williams. Derrick Salberg chipped in with two hits while driving in a run. Williams also scored twice in a loosing effort.
Lowery and Charlie Yorgen each posted two hits in the contest, while Lowery drove in a game-high three runs - all coming on his home run in the first inning. Six different Pirates scored a run, while seven tallied all nine base hits.
Up Next:
ECU will hit the road for a midweek matchup at Liberty on Wednesday, Apr. 29 (3 p.m. start) before returning home to host UConn for a three-game AAC series (May 1-3) at Clark-LeClair Stadium.
How It Happened:
Holding a solid four-run lead in the ninth frame, 6-2, UCF made things interesting for the third-straight game of the series. The Knights scored three runs on four hits and had the bases loaded with two outs when Voliva, a freshman, took over on the mound. The right-hander got Logan Heisler to fly out to shallow right field to end the contest, 6-5.
The Knights recorded three consecutive hits off of Boyd, which lead to a run pulling them within three, 6-3. After Lucroy took over with runners on the corners, Barber lined into a double play quickly erasing the potential tying run at the plate. Williams followed with a double down the left field line scoring Dylan Moore making it a two run contest, 6-4. Lucroy issued consecutive walks on eight-straight pitches loading the bases before UCF scored on a passed ball during Kyle Marsh's at-bat, and Lucroy's day was done. ECU went to the pen bringing in Voliva with a 2-0 count to Marsh, who promptly walked loading the bases once again. But Voliva got the pinch-hitter Heisler to fly out on a 0-1 offering which sealed the sweep and the Pirates sixth consecutive one-run victory.
Lowery's three-run home run to left field highlighted a four-run first inning staking the Pirates to a 4-0 lead. Allen and Yorgen drew consecutive singles before Love moved them over on a sac bunt. Tyler drew a walk to load the bases just before Allen scored on a Howell wild pitch. Lowery smashed a 1-1 offering belting his first home run since March 15 at Elon scoring Yorgen and Tyler ahead of him.
ECU added a run in the second when Brooks scored on a throwing error by UCF first baseman Vasquez. Brooks walked to start the frame then broke for second on Jackson Mims grounder to third. Kam Gellinger through a strike over to Vasquez to get the out, then Vasquez fired back to Gellinger at third, one-hopping his throw, which allowed Brooks to cross home for a 5-0 advantage.
The Knights broke through scoring a run in the third inning pulling within four, 5-1. JoMarcos Woods singled home Kyle Marsh with a shot back up the middle just right of the bag. Marsh led off inning with a walk and moved into scoring position on Gellinger's sac bunt.
Salberg's double down the left field line scored Williams making it a 5-2 game in the fourth. Williams reached on an opening frame double and took third on Jordan Savinon's ground out to first. The Knights had a chance to plate a few more runs as they had the bases loaded with one out, but a soft lineout to short and a fielder's choice stranded three.
Love's RBI single up the middle scored Mims from second base extending the Pirates lead to 6-2. Mims led off on a single to right field to start the frame and took second on Yorgen's one-out walk before crossing home on Love's first hit of the contest.
Game Notes:
ECU collected a three of two-out hits (152 on season) ... The Pirates stranded five runners on base compared to 12 for the Knights ... Hunter Allen extended his hit streak to 14 games with a single in the first inning ... Lowery's home run was his team-leading ninth and first since March 15 at Elon ... Since 1998, ECU has recorded just two series sweeps over nationally-ranked teams (2007 vs. Cal State, 2015 vs. UCF) ... The Pirates are 3-4 on the season against ranked opponents ... ECU's six-game win streak is tied for a season-long (Mar. 11-18) ... ECU pushed its record in one-run gamed to 7-5 ... The Pirate pitching staff has allowed 10 runs on 11 hits with four walks in the ninth inning this week ... Lowery and Yorgen tallied their 14th multi-hit game of the season (shares team lead), while Lowery's three RBI pushed his multi-RBI game total to 11 ... The Pirates turned their 48th double play (ninth inning) of the season, which ranks among the Top 10 nationally.
