No. 25 ECU Blanks UNC In Series Finale, 5-0

Sunday, February 27

Greenville, N.C.

6:00 P.M.

East Carolina University

2-5

North Carolina

6-1

North Carolina

East Carolina

February 27, 2022 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

GREENVILLE, N.C. – Carter Spivey worked a career-best 4.1 shutout innings while striking out a career-high seven batters, while Jacob Jenkins-Cowart and Justin Wilcoxen each plated a pair of runs lifting No. 25 East Carolina to a 5-0 series finale win over North Carolina Sunday night at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium. With the win the Pirates improve to 2-5 and the Tar Heels drop to 6-1.

ECU jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Ryder Giles darted home on a Shaddon Peavyhouse wild pitch for what ultimately was the game-winning run. Giles reached on a one-out error, took second on a Jenkins-Cowart ground out and moved to third when Ryley Johnson reached on the second error of the inning. Giles would cross home on Peavyhouse's errant throw giving the Pirates their first lead of the weekend series.

Spivey (1-0) picked up the win scattering two hits over his outing. Skylar Brooks notched his first career save working two-thirds of an inning with a walk and a pair of strikeouts. Starter Jake Hunter tossed 3.1 scoreless frames where he gave up a hit, walked two and struck out three. C.J. Mayhue also combined on the shutout surrendering one hit, walking one and fanning one in two-thirds of an inning.

Peavyhouse (1-1) suffered the loss giving up two runs (one earned) on no hits with a walk and two strikeouts. The Tar Heels used five arms in relief on the evening getting outings from Kyle Mott (1.1 IP, 3Ks), Shawn Rapp (0.2 IP, 2 Ks), Connor Bovair (1.1 IP, 2 Rs), Gage Gillian (1.1 IP, 1 R) and Connor Ollio (0.1 IP).

ECU added a run in the fourth on Wilcoxen's RBI double to right-center for a 2-0 advantage. Giles was hit by a Peavyhouse pitch to start the frame and took second on a passed ball. After a pitching change and two outs later, Wilcoxen smoked a Mott 3-0 fast ball just over the glove of Angel Zarate in right-center.

Jenkins-Cowart's two-RBI double down the right field line extended the Pirates lead to 4-0 in the seventh inning. Bryson Worrell walked and stole second base before Josh Moylan drew a one-out walk. Alec Makarewicz reached on a fielder's choice putting runners on the corners before Giles loaded the bases with a walk. Jenkins-Cowart took a full count offering from Gillian down the right field line plating Worrell and Makarewicz before Giles was thrown out at the plate to end the stanza.

Wilcoxen capped the scoring with a solo blast to right-center in the eighth inning for a 5-0 lead.

For the second consecutive game in the series, ECU out-hit UNC tallying five in the contest with Jenkins-Cowart and Wilcoxen both collecting two each. Lane Hoover added a hit as well with his single in the eighth inning.
Along with the pitching staff allowing just four hits and striking out 13, Zach Agnos and Giles flashed the leather up the middle both making plays deep in the whole at second and short preserving additional Tar Heel base knocks.

ECU will be back in action on Tuesday, March 1 when it travels to Duke for a midweek matchup. First pitch is slated for 4p.m. (EST) at the DBAP and will be streamed on ACCNX.