Yorgen's Homer Lifts No. 8 ECU In Extra Innings, 10-7

Saturday, March 11

Greenville, N.C.

12:00 P.M.

East Carolina University

11-4

Charlotte

10-5

Charlotte

East Carolina

March 11, 2017 | Baseball

Box Score

Box Score (PDF)

GREENVILLE, N.C. – Charlie Yorgen's three-run homer in the bottom of the 10th inning lifted No. 8 East Carolina to a 10-7 walk-off win over Charlotte Saturday afternoon in Game 1 of a doubleheader at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium. With the win the Pirates improve to 11-4 on the season, while the 49ers drop to 10-5.

Joe Ingle (3-0) picked up the win in relief retiring both batters he faced, one coming via a strikeout. Starter Trey Benton allowed a pair of runs (both earned) on two hits with three strikeouts and two walks in five innings of work. The right-hander had his scoreless inning streak snapped at 16.0 frames when Charlotte scored on bases loaded walk in the fourth frame. Tyler Smith was touched for four runs (three earned) on six hits in 3.1 innings, while Matt Bridges allowed a run (earned) on two hits with two walks in one inning of relief.

Matt Brooks (2-1) took the loss giving up two runs (both earned) on one hit with three strikeouts in 1.2 innings. Starter Josh Maciejewski surrendered six runs (all earned) on eight hits with a pair of walk and three punch outs in five full innings. The 49ers also got relief work from Drew Morrison (0.2 IP, 1 R), Brandon Vogler (1.1 IP, 1 H), Colby Bruce (1.0 IP, 1 K) and Jonah Patten (0.0 IP, 1 R).

ECU out hit Charlotte 12 to 10 in the contest getting two hits each from Dusty Baker, Spencer Brickhouse, Luke Bolka and Travis Watkins, who led the team with four RBI. Yorgen added three RBI coming on his first home run of the season, while Eric Tyler drove in a pair.

The 49ers had four hitters with two hits in Reece Hampton, Zach Jarrett, Brett Netzer and T.J. Nichting. Jackson Mims drove in a pair on his two-run homer in the ninth and Netzer added a pair.

How It Happened:
With the game knotted at seven-all going to the bottom of the 10th inning, Yorgen pulled a 3-1 offering from Patten over the right field wall giving the Pirates a 10-7 extra inning win over the 49ers. Packard walked with two outs and Baker laced the second of his two hits on the day through the right side setting up the eventual game-winning hit by Yorgen – the second of his career.

After being shutout and held to just three hits in the series opener, ECU scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the first inning on four consecutive singles talking an early 2-0 lead. With two outs, Watkins, Bolka and Brickhouse all singled to load the bases for Tyler, who singled himself to left field pushing across Watkins and Bolka.

Watkins' third career grand slam in the bottom of the second extended the Pirates lead to 6-0. Packard walked to start the inning, which was followed by Baker's bunt single and Yorgen's walk. Watkins deposited a full-count offering from Maciejewski over the left field wall for his second homer of the season (13th career).

Charlotte broke through with a run in the top of the fourth inning cutting ECU's lead to 6-1. Mims and Nichting laced consecutive singles before Nichting was forced out at second when Logan Sherer reached on a fielder's choice Jarrett walked to load the bases for Zack Smith, who also drew a walk scoring Mims.

The 49ers added another run in the fifth pulling within four, 6-2. Hunter Jones reached on a throwing error by Brown at short and was awarded second base. Hampton's ground out to second pushed Jones to third and Netzer's grounder to second scored him.

Packard's first collegiate home run (right field) pushed ECU's lead to five, 7-2, in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Charlotte answered with a run in the top of the seventh (Netzer RBI single) and four in the top of the ninth, which tied the game at seven-all. In that ninth frame, Hampton scored on a fielding error by Turner and Mims followed with a two-run shot to right field. Nichting tied the game with he crossed home on a Bridges wild pitch.