No. 19 ECU Wins Series Opener Over Jacksonville, 6-3

Thursday, March 24

Greenville, N.C.

6:30 PM

East Carolina University

15-7

Jacksonville

14-7

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Jacksonville	1	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	3	8	1
East Carolina	0	1	0	2	0	2	1	0	X	6	8	2

March 24, 2016 | Baseball

Box Score

March 24, 2016

Box Score l Highlights and Interviews

GREENVILLE, N.C. -- Bryce Harman and Zack Mozingo each drove in a pair of runs, while Evan Kruczynski struck out seven batters in 7.2 innings of work as No. 19 East Carolina took the opening game of a three-game non-conference series against Jacksonville 6-3 Thursday night at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium. With the win the Pirates improve to 15-7 on the season, while the Dolphins drop to 14-7.

Kruczynski (3-0) picked up the win allowing three runs (one earned) on eight hits with a walk and seven punch outs for his third win of the season. The lefty gave up a pair of extra base hits while inducing eight ground ball and six fly outs in his fifth quality start of the year. Joe Ingle picked up his fourth save (12th career) surrendering a pair of walks and recording one strikeout in 1.1 innings of relief.

Nathan Disch (3-2) suffered the loss after giving up five runs (four earned) on six hits in 5.1 innings. Ryan Granda walked a pair and struck out one in one-third of an inning, while Kyle Arjona was touched for a run (earned) on two hits in one inning of relief. Shane Wise closed out the game with a scoreless 1.1 innings where he allowed a walk and fanned two.

ECU tallied eight hits on the night getting multiple base knocks from Mozingo (three) and Kirk Morgan (two), while Harman, Eric Tyler and Travis Watkins each added one. Harman drove in two on his first homer of the season, while Mozingo had a pair of RBI base hits, including the game-winner in the sixth frame.

Seth DeWitt led the Dolphins eight hit attack going 2-for-3 with a run scored. Gould belted his fourth homer of the season in the first inning, while Dakota Julylia and Parker Perez laced RBI singles in the fifth inning.

How It Happened:
With the game knotted at three-all going to the bottom of the sixth, ECU pushed across a pair of runs taking a 5-3 lead. Watkins stroked his team-leading ninth double of the season with a shot down the right field line and scored on Mozingo's second hit of the night -- a base hit up the middle. After a wild pitch moved Mozingo into scoring position, Tyler reached on a fielder's choice where Disch fielded his chopper back to the mound and then through wide left of second base trying to get Mozingo, who broke for third on the play. With runners on the corners, Harman walked off Granda to load the bases and two batters later Bolka drew a walk scoring Mozingo.

Gould's home run with two outs off Kruczynski gave Jacksonville an early 1-0 lead in the first frame.

The Pirates tied the game at one on Tyler's RBI single to right field that pushed across Mozingo in the second inning. Mozingo singled to start the stanza, moved to second on a wild pitch before scoring on Tyler's lone hit of the evening.

Harman's moon shot to right field, which landed on the football practice field, gave the Pirates a 3-1 lead in the fourth. Watkins walked to start the inning and three batters later crossed home on Harman's 15th career round-tripper.

Jacksonville wouldn't go down quietly as it scored a pair of runs in the fifth tying the game at three-all. With two outs and runners on first and second, Julylia singled to right center pushing across Nathan Koslowski. Perez followed with an infield single to second allowing DeWitt to score from third.

ECU tacked on an insurance run in the seventh on another RBI single from Mozingo that plated Morgan for a 6-3 advantage.

Game Notes:
ECU had four two-out RBI on the night pushing its season total to 45 ... Morgan tallied a pair of hits and extended his hit streak to six games, which started on Mar. 15 against North Carolina ... Harman's home run snapped a drought of 176 at-bats without a homer ... In the last two games, Mozingo is 6-for-9 with three RBI and three runs scored ... Ingle moved into sole possession of sixth place on ECU's all-time saves list (12) and has not allowed a run in his last three outings (4.2 innings).

Up Next:
ECU and Jacksonville will continue the series on Friday, Mar. 25 with a 6:30 p.m. (ET) scheduled first pitch.