Saturday, February 20
Conway, S.C.
10:00 a.m.
East Carolina University
3-0
9
vs
4
Buffalo
0-1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
R
H
E
East Carolina
2
0
6
0
0
1
0
9
13
0
Buffalo
1
0
0
1
1
1
0
4
10
2
Photo by: Rob Goldberg
Pirates Down Bulls And Red Flash In Conway
February 20, 2021 | Softball
CONWAY, S.C. – East Carolina picked up a pair of victories on day one of the Battle at the Beach Saturday, rolling past Buffalo 9-4 in the morning before turning around and rallying for a 4-2 win over Saint Francis inside St. John Stadium. Coastal Carolina University is hosting the two-day non-conference event.
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The Pirates improved to 4-0 for the first time since 2006 while both the Bulls and Red Flash began their campaigns with losses.
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Game One – East Carolina 9, Buffalo 4
Senior outfielder Olivia Narron went 3-for-4 with a run scored while a trio of ECU batters drove in two runs apiece. Sophomore infielder Bailey Ledvina, the reigning American Athletic Conference Player of the Week, rapped out two hits, scored two runs and collected her team-leading eight RBI of the season. Additionally, redshirt senior utility Rachel McCollum and freshman outfielder Sydney Yoder made their season debuts, combining for three hits and four RBI.
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Madison Fernimen paced Buffalo with a 3-for-3 performance that included a pair of doubles and a home run.
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Junior RHP Whitney Sanford (1-0) was credited with the victory in relief of freshman RHP Logyn Estes. Sanford surrendered three earned runs on five hits with two strikeouts and no walks before junior RHP Erin Poepping entered the game and finished things out with a pair of scoreless innings during which she struck out four batters.
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Julia Tarantino (0-1) was tagged with the loss as the Pirates touched her up for eight runs (five earned) on nine hits. She struck out three and walked one in just 2.2 innings of work.
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With one out, junior infielder Ashleigh Inae singled up the middle with one away before Ledvina dropped a single into center field and moved to second on the throw to third base where Inae stood safe. The next batter, junior infielder Chandley Garner, put East Carolina on top by a deuce with a two-run double. The Bulls responded with a run in the home half of the frame via a Rachel Steffen sacrifice fly.
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The Pirates broke the game open in the top of the third, plating six runs on five hits and a pair of Buffalo errors. McCollum led things off with a single through the right side and Garner walked with one out before the runners moved into scoring position via a groundout. Freshman RHP/outfielder Logyn Estes then singled to right and scored McCollum to make it a 3-1 contest. After Estes swiped second base, Yoder sent a two-run single into center to increase the ECU advantage to 5-1. A fielding error extended the inning and Narron reached on an infield single before another error allowed Yoder to score to push the lead to five. McCollum capped the half inning off with a two-run single to leave the Pirates with an 8-1 cushion.
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Buffalo tried to make it interesting in the fourth and fifth frames, scoring two unanswered runs to slice its deficit to 8-3, however, Ledvina launched her team-leading fourth home run of the season over the wall in left to start the sixth inning. Fernimen homered to center field in the bottom of the sixth to provide the game's final margin.
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Game Two – East Carolina 4, Saint Francis 2
Garner led the way for ECU with a pair of hits and a run scored in the comeback win. McCollum, Estes and sophomore utility Keira Womack each drove in a run and accounted for three of the Pirates' five hits. Tayven Rousseau was 1-for-3 with the only two RBI of the game for the Red Flash.
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Junior RHP Kama Woodall (2-0) went the distance for her first win and complete game of the season. She allowed just two runs on three hits with four strikeouts against three walks. Rachel Marsden (0-1) took the loss, giving up four runs (none earned) on five hits with one strikeout and no walks.
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Woodall began the contest by quickly retiring SFU in order. Narron got on base right away in the home half of the inning, reaching on a throwing error by the Red Flash third baseman and advancing to second as a result of the miscue. She then moved the third on a groundout and crossed home after another grounder to give East Carolina the early upper hand.
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A pitchers' duel ensued from there as both teams had a chance to dent the scoreboard in the fourth but left a pair of runners on base in each half inning.
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After a quiet fifth, the bats got going in the sixth frame. A pair of one-out walks afforded the Red Flash an opportunity to tie or take the lead and SFU did just that. With two away, Rousseau took a 2-2 offering into right field and drove in both runners to propel her team in front, 2-1.
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East Carolina answered right back in the bottom of the sixth. Inae was plunked by a 2-0 pitch and McCollum reached on a fielding error at short. With one out on the board, Garner singled up the middle to load the bases. Freshman catcher Sophie Wools then put a ball in play that resulted in a muffed throw by the catcher and pinch runner Natalie Ramirez scored to knot the score at two. With the bases still juiced, Estes drove a ball into center field that was deep enough to plate Ledvina and give the Pirates a one-run lead. Womack followed with an RBI single to make it 4-2 before a groundout ended the inning.
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Woodall had little trouble in the top of the seventh, breezing through the Saint Francis lineup in short order to seal the victory.
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Up Next: ECU returns to the field Sunday with a doubleheader against host Coastal Carolina beginning at 2 p.m.
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The Pirates improved to 4-0 for the first time since 2006 while both the Bulls and Red Flash began their campaigns with losses.
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Game One – East Carolina 9, Buffalo 4
Senior outfielder Olivia Narron went 3-for-4 with a run scored while a trio of ECU batters drove in two runs apiece. Sophomore infielder Bailey Ledvina, the reigning American Athletic Conference Player of the Week, rapped out two hits, scored two runs and collected her team-leading eight RBI of the season. Additionally, redshirt senior utility Rachel McCollum and freshman outfielder Sydney Yoder made their season debuts, combining for three hits and four RBI.
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Madison Fernimen paced Buffalo with a 3-for-3 performance that included a pair of doubles and a home run.
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Junior RHP Whitney Sanford (1-0) was credited with the victory in relief of freshman RHP Logyn Estes. Sanford surrendered three earned runs on five hits with two strikeouts and no walks before junior RHP Erin Poepping entered the game and finished things out with a pair of scoreless innings during which she struck out four batters.
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Julia Tarantino (0-1) was tagged with the loss as the Pirates touched her up for eight runs (five earned) on nine hits. She struck out three and walked one in just 2.2 innings of work.
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With one out, junior infielder Ashleigh Inae singled up the middle with one away before Ledvina dropped a single into center field and moved to second on the throw to third base where Inae stood safe. The next batter, junior infielder Chandley Garner, put East Carolina on top by a deuce with a two-run double. The Bulls responded with a run in the home half of the frame via a Rachel Steffen sacrifice fly.
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The Pirates broke the game open in the top of the third, plating six runs on five hits and a pair of Buffalo errors. McCollum led things off with a single through the right side and Garner walked with one out before the runners moved into scoring position via a groundout. Freshman RHP/outfielder Logyn Estes then singled to right and scored McCollum to make it a 3-1 contest. After Estes swiped second base, Yoder sent a two-run single into center to increase the ECU advantage to 5-1. A fielding error extended the inning and Narron reached on an infield single before another error allowed Yoder to score to push the lead to five. McCollum capped the half inning off with a two-run single to leave the Pirates with an 8-1 cushion.
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Buffalo tried to make it interesting in the fourth and fifth frames, scoring two unanswered runs to slice its deficit to 8-3, however, Ledvina launched her team-leading fourth home run of the season over the wall in left to start the sixth inning. Fernimen homered to center field in the bottom of the sixth to provide the game's final margin.
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Game Two – East Carolina 4, Saint Francis 2
Garner led the way for ECU with a pair of hits and a run scored in the comeback win. McCollum, Estes and sophomore utility Keira Womack each drove in a run and accounted for three of the Pirates' five hits. Tayven Rousseau was 1-for-3 with the only two RBI of the game for the Red Flash.
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Junior RHP Kama Woodall (2-0) went the distance for her first win and complete game of the season. She allowed just two runs on three hits with four strikeouts against three walks. Rachel Marsden (0-1) took the loss, giving up four runs (none earned) on five hits with one strikeout and no walks.
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Woodall began the contest by quickly retiring SFU in order. Narron got on base right away in the home half of the inning, reaching on a throwing error by the Red Flash third baseman and advancing to second as a result of the miscue. She then moved the third on a groundout and crossed home after another grounder to give East Carolina the early upper hand.
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A pitchers' duel ensued from there as both teams had a chance to dent the scoreboard in the fourth but left a pair of runners on base in each half inning.
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After a quiet fifth, the bats got going in the sixth frame. A pair of one-out walks afforded the Red Flash an opportunity to tie or take the lead and SFU did just that. With two away, Rousseau took a 2-2 offering into right field and drove in both runners to propel her team in front, 2-1.
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East Carolina answered right back in the bottom of the sixth. Inae was plunked by a 2-0 pitch and McCollum reached on a fielding error at short. With one out on the board, Garner singled up the middle to load the bases. Freshman catcher Sophie Wools then put a ball in play that resulted in a muffed throw by the catcher and pinch runner Natalie Ramirez scored to knot the score at two. With the bases still juiced, Estes drove a ball into center field that was deep enough to plate Ledvina and give the Pirates a one-run lead. Womack followed with an RBI single to make it 4-2 before a groundout ended the inning.
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Woodall had little trouble in the top of the seventh, breezing through the Saint Francis lineup in short order to seal the victory.
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Up Next: ECU returns to the field Sunday with a doubleheader against host Coastal Carolina beginning at 2 p.m.
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Sanford, Whitney (1-0)
L: Tarantino, Julia (0-1)
Batting:
2B: Garner, Chandley 1 ; Wools, Sophie 1
HR: Ledvina, Bailey 1
RBI: McCollum, Rachel 2 ; Ledvina, Bailey 1 ; Garner, Chandley 2 ; Estes, Logyn 1 ; Yoder, Sydney 2
SH: Narron, Olivia 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Narron, Olivia 1 ; Inae, Ashleigh 1 ; McCollum, Rachel 1 ; Ledvina, Bailey 2 ; Garner, Chandley 1 ; Estes, Logyn 1 ; Yoder, Sydney 1 ; Woodring, Taylor 1
SB: Estes, Logyn 1
CS: Edwards, Gianna 1
HBP: Woodring, Taylor 1
Batting:
2B: Bardeen, Hannah 1 ; Fernimen, Madison 2
HR: Steffan, Rachel 1 ; Fernimen, Madison 1
RBI: Matheney, Alexis 1 ; Steffan, Rachel 2 ; Fernimen, Madison 1
SF: Matheney, Alexis 1 ; Steffan, Rachel 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Matheney, Alexis 1 ; Steffan, Rachel 1 ; Bardeen, Hannah 1 ; Fernimen, Madison 1
SB: Matheney, Alexis 1 ; Aguon, Anna 1
CS: Lucyshyn, Alexis 1
HBP: Aguon, Anna 1 ; Steffan, Rachel 1 ; Bardeen, Hannah 1
Game Leaders
AB
4
R
1
H
3
RBI
0
AB
5
R
1
H
2
RBI
2
AB
3
R
2
H
2
RBI
1
AB
5
R
1
H
1
RBI
0
Players Mentioned
RHP
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
INF
/ Softball
UTL
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
OF
/ Softball
RHP
/ Softball
C
/ Softball
OF
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