No. 11 ECU Blows Past George Washington 23-5 To Complete Series Sweep

Sunday, February 19

Greenville, N.C.

1:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

George Washington

No. 11 ECU Blows Past George Washington 23-5 To Complete Series Sweep

February 19, 2023 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

GREENVILLE, N.C. – No. 11 East Carolina grabbed an early lead Sunday and did not relent, routing George Washington 23-5 to complete its sixth Opening Weekend sweep since 2015.

The Pirates (3-0) outscored the Colonials (0-3) 43-13 over the three contests and scored their most runs in a single game since defeating Delaware State 24-0 back on May 13, 2011. ECU also recorded 20 hits on the day – the most in a single contest for the program since notching 22 against Elon March 15, 2015.

Justin Wilcoxen put forth his final argument in a case for national player of the week consideration, finishing Sunday's affair with a three-hit performance that included four runs scored and four RBI. For the weekend, he went 10-for-14 (.714) with nine runs scored, three doubles, two home runs and eight RBI. Jacob Starling also wrapped up a stout two-day stretch at the plate, tallying three hits, two runs scored and three RBI in the blowout victory. Sam Gates paced the visiting GW club with two hits, a run scored and three runs driven in.

.@justinw_06 is the hottest hitter in the country 🔥 pic.twitter.com/X2kUPjWEiS
— East Carolina Baseball (@ECUBaseball) February 19, 2023

Danny Beal (1-0) picked up his first victory of the season in relief, firing across two scoreless innings while surrendering just one hit. East Carolina touched up Colonial starter Austin Odell (0-1) for eight runs (six earned) on seven hits and two walks in the right-hander's first start of the campaign.

After falling behind in both games of yesterday's doubleheader, East Carolina flipped the script in the bottom of the first inning. Grosz worked around a hit batter in a clean top half and the Pirate offense went to work. Jenkins-Cowart reached on an error before Hoover drew a five-pitch walk. The runners then moved up a base apiece following some heady base running and scored on a ground-rule double by Starling. A speedy Nowak then beat out a throw for an infield single as the shortstop sailed the ball into the visitor dugout to score Starling and leave the Purple and Gold with a 3-0 advantage after one complete.

George Washington pulled within a run in the top of the fourth via a Robby Wacker two-run home run, but the Pirates flexed their offensive muscle and scored 12 runs over the fourth and fifth frames, extending their lead to 15-4 when the dust settled. Wilcoxen aided the cause with a three-run shot in the bottom of the fourth before Starling's RBI triple and Alec Makarewicz' solo home run capped a seven-run, six-hit fifth inning.

ECU added two runs in the seventh and six in the eighth to complete the win. Cam Clonch and Ryley Johnson both went yard in the eighth frame, each hitting a two-run long ball as the Pirates finished with four as a team.

East Carolina was 9-for-15 (.600) with runners in scoring position and produced eight two-out RBI.
Sophomore RHP Jordan Little notched his first collegiate strikeout in the top of the seventh inning.
The ECU pitching staff struck out 29 batters in the series.
The Pirates reached double figures in the hit column in all three games.
East Carolina scored 40-plus runs in a three-game set for the first time since dropping 41 on Elon in a road sweep March 13-15, 2015.
The Pirates welcomed 13,643 fans over the three contests, marking the third-largest three-game series crowd in Clark-LeClair Stadium history.

Up Next: ECU makes its first appearance outside of Clark-LeClair Stadium Tuesday, Feb. 21 when it travels to Buies Creek for a showdown with Campbell. First pitch at Jim Perry Stadium is slated for 5 p.m.