ECU Wins Season Opener, 8-3

Friday, February 16

Greenville, N.C.

4:00 P.M.

East Carolina University

1-0

Western Carolina

0-1

Western Carolina

ECU

February 16, 2018 | Baseball

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GREENVILLE, N.C. – The ECU baseball team used a nine-hit attack and picked up an Opening Day 8-3 win over Western Carolina Friday afternoon at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium. Sophomore Trey Benton allowed a pair of runs (both earned) on six hits while striking out seven in five innings of work for the win. Fellow classmate Spencer Brickhouse posted three hits and drove in three runs, one of which came via the long ball to pass the Pirates offensively.

Coach Godwin's Take:
"Anytime you can come out to the ball park with over 3,000 fans on a nice day like we had today and get a win, is great. I thought our guys were engaged the whole game and we didn't take our foot off the gas when we were ahead. We grinded out some tough at-bats and I like what I saw offensively. Trey (Benton) did a nice job for us and his fast ball I thought had a lot of sink to it. I liked the way we pitched as a staff today, which is evident with 15 strikeouts and no walks."

How it Happened:
Western (0-1) jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first frame when Andrew Bullock doubled home Matthew Koehler from second base, but ECU answered with a three-run second which was highlighted by Brickhouse's first homer of the season – a solo shot. The Catamounts scored a run in the top of the fourth pulling within one, 3-2, on Caleb Robinson's solo blast to left field. However, the Pirates immediately put four-runs up in the home half of the fourth for a 7-2 advantage. Bryant Packard's sac fly scored Connor Litton for the first run before Alec Burleson's single through the right side plated Brady Lloyd. Brickhouse's two-run single through the right side pushed across both Lloyd and Turner Brown. ECU added a run in the sixth on Jake Washer's sac fly, while Western Carolina scored in the eighth on Luke Robinson's base hit to left field.

Player of the Game:
Brickhouse tied his career-high with three hits and three RBI … His solo homer in the second marked the second-straight season he has homered on Opening Day (also had solo homer at Ole Miss in 2017) … He also scored a run in the contest, one of seven Pirates to do so.

Things of Note:

ECU improved to 3-1 in home openers under Godwin and 2-2 in season openers …
Benton picked up his fourth career win … He has fanned seven or more batters in a game seven times in his career …
Burleson made his collegiate debut getting the start as the Pirates designated hitter … Collected first hit in the fourth inning with an RBI single through the right side … Took the mound for the seventh frame striking out the side … Picked up two more strikeouts in the eighth inning for a total of five on the night …
Lloyd tied a career-high with two hits while also scoring and driving in a run …
Dwanya Williams-Sutton reached base four times in the game (two walks, reached twice on WCU errors) …
Litton scored a team-best two runs in his Pirate debut finishing the game going 1-for-3 with two walks …
ECU struck out 15 batters in the contest without allowing a walk … Conversely, they walked six times while only punching out five times at the plate …
The Pirates had three two-out RBI and was a perfect 4-for-4 with runners on third base and less than two outs …

Up Next:
ECU and Western Carolina will return to the diamond for Game 2 of the weekend series at 2 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, Feb. 17 … Sophomore Jake Agnos will toe the rubber for the Pirates, while junior Taylor Purus will get the nod for the Catamounts.