Softball Takes Two On Opening Day Of Pirate Clash

Friday, February 16

Greenville, N.C.

3:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

3-3

Towson

4-2

Towson

ECU

February 16, 2018 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

PDF Box Scores: Towson \\\ Saint Joseph's

GREENVILLE, N.C.. – Playing at home for the first time this season, the ECU softball team picked up a doubleheader sweep in defeating Towson 4-3 in nine innings and Saint Joseph's 3-0. The Pirates won the nightcap behind the first career complete-game shutout by freshman RHP Whitney Sanford who recorded a personal collegiate-best eight strikeouts.

Team Records after Day One of Pirate Clash:
ECU (4-3)
Towson (4-2)
Saint Joseph's (1-1)
UMBC (0-2)

How It Happened (Game One): The Pirates rapped out a season-high 11 hits in the walkoff win over Towson in the home opener. Redshirt sophomore Tate McClellan produced a RBI single and senior infielder Meredith Burroughs added a sacrifice fly to put ECU in the lead 2-0 after one complete. A RBI double by senior infielder Karlie Smith made it 3-0 before the Tigers answered with a run in the top of the fourth to cut the Pirate lead to 3-1. A two-run single by Jessica Swistock knotted things at three and it would stay that way as the contest moved into extra innings. ECU held Towson off the board in the top of the eighth and ninth frames before sophomore outfielder Olivia Narron laid down a bunt single and reached second on a throwing error to lead off the bottom of the ninth. She then stole third and scored on a fielder's choice play with freshman infielder Ashleigh Inae at the plate to give the Purple and Gold the win. Freshman RHP Erin Poepping earned the victory in the circle, tossing 5.1 innings and allowing three runs on seven hits with a walk. Olivia Baltazar fell to 1-1 for the Tigers.

How It Happened (Game Two): Sanford scattered four Saint Joseph's hits in the shutout victory while the Pirate offense backed her with early run support. Inae was hit by a pitch to lead off the bottom of the first. She then stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. After the Hawks recorded consecutive outs, McClellan roped a double to left field to score Inae and redshirt senior catcher Alex Mycek doubled down the left field line to plate McClellan and give ECU a 2-0 advantage going into the second. Sanford worked out of some trouble in the fourth as Saint Joseph's loaded the bases with two outs. The freshman posted a looking strikeout to escape the jam unscathed. Mycek would add a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth to provide the final margin of victory. Sanford improved to 2-2 in the circle while Ashley Ventura dropped to 0-1 in her first appearance of the campaign.

ECU Top Performers (Game One)
Karlie Smith: 3-for-4, Run, RBI, 2B
Tyler King: 2-for-4, 2 Runs
Olivia Narron: 2-for- 3, Run, SB
Ashley Cruise: 3.2 IP, 0 Runs, 3 Hits, BB

Towson Top Performers
Madison Wilson: 3-for-4, Run, 2 RBI
Brook Miko: 2-for-4

ECU Top Performers (Game Two)
Alex Mycek: 1-for-2, 2 RBI, 2B
Tate McClellan: 1-for-3, Run, RBI, 2B
Whitney Sanford: 7.0 IP, 0 Runs, 4 Hits, 2 BB, 8 K

Saint Joseph's Top Performers
Stacey Mayer: 1-for-3, 7 Putouts
Ashley Ventura: 6.0 IP, 3 Runs, 4 Hits, 0 BB, 3 K

Things To Note

ECU improved to 15-1 against Towson and 2-0 versus Saint Joseph's in the all-time series.
Saint Joseph's and UMBC opened their 2018 seasons Friday.
After stealing just 19 bases all of the 2017 campaign, The Pirates have swiped five bags in seven games thus far in 2018.
Narron and sophomore infielder Kendra Ziemba earned their first hits of the season in the doubleheader.
ECU was a combined 4-for-7 (.571) with a runner on third and less than two outs on the board.

Up Next: The Pirate Clash continues Saturday when the Pirates battle Saint Joseph's at 12:30 p.m. and UMBC at 5:30. Towson and Saint Joseph's get the day started at 10 a.m.