East Carolina Handles Connecticut 4-1 To Clinch AAC Series

Friday, April 14

Greenville, N.C.

6:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

22-23, 0

Connecticut

14-21, 0

Connecticut

East Carolina

Photo by: Rob Goldberg

East Carolina Handles Connecticut 4-1 To Clinch AAC Series

April 14, 2017 | Softball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

GREENVILLE, N.C. – East Carolina put up four runs in the bottom of the first inning on the way to a 4-1 victory over Connecticut Friday evening at the ECU Softball Stadium. The Pirates clinched the series with the win and will look to complete the sweep of the Huskies Saturday.

Team Records: East Carolina: (22-23, 4-7 American) | Connecticut: (14-21, 1-6 American)

The Rundown
Senior outfielder Kacie Oshiro went 3-for-3 with a run scored while redshirt freshman infielder Tate McClellan drove in a pair of runs. Senior outfielder Ciara Ervin, junior infielder Meredith Burroughs and McClellan also collected a run scored each. Burroughs and Oshiro reached base safely for the 17th and 12th consecutive games respectively.

Kelli Bates and Carli Cutler racked up a pair of hits each for the Huskies while Cutler drove in Connecticut's lone run of the game.

Senior RHP Lydia Ritchie (14-10) tossed her third complete game of the week and fourth straight overall, allowing just one run on eight hits with no walks and four strikeouts. Jill Stockley (5-9) was tagged with the loss after surrendering four runs (three earned) on seven hits. She did not walk a batter and recorded two strikeouts.

How They Scored
Ervin and Oshiro both singled to lead off the game before Burroughs laced a double down the right field line to drive in Ervin. McClellan followed with a double to the wall in right center that scored both Oshiro and Burroughs to give the Purple and Gold a quick 3-0 advantage. Redshirt junior catcher Alex Mycek capped off the inning with a sacrifice fly to leave the Pirates with a big 4-0 edge through one complete.

The Huskies used three singles to score their first run of the series in the bottom of the third as Cutler scored Ryne Nakama from second base with a two-out poke up the middle. Ritchie would recover and fan Valerie Sadowl swinging to keep Connecticut from scoring further. Neither team plated a run in the final four innings.

Statistics of the Game
ECU recorded a hit two of the three times there was a Pirate runner on third with less than two outs. The Huskies were just 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.

Up Next
East Carolina and Connecticut will meet for the final time this weekend Saturday in the series finale. First pitch is set for Noon EDT at the ECU Softball Stadium.