No. 11 ECU Polishes Off Opening Weekend Sweep

Sunday, February 18

Greenville, N.C.

1:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

3-0

Rider

0-3

Rider

East Carolina

February 18, 2024 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

GREENVILLE, N.C. – No. 11 East Carolina shone on the mound once more Sunday afternoon, handling 2023 NCAA Conway Regional participant Rider 7-0 to polish off an Opening Weekend sweep inside Lewis Field at Clark-LeClair Stadium.

The Pirates (3-0) outscored the Broncs 30-2 on 36 hits – 10 of which went for extra bases. ECU's pitching staff also collected 37 strikeouts against eight walks while tossing consecutive shutouts for the first time since 2015 when East Carolina took the first two games of its series against Monmouth by 2-0 and 9-0 scores.

Jake Hunter (1-0) earned his first victory of the campaign with a strong five-inning effort during which he allowed just one hit while striking out six and walking three. Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman, Corey Costello and Danny Beal all made their initial appearances of the year out of the bullpen and did not miss a beat – surrendering just two hits and one walk to go along with five strikeouts by Lunsford-Shenkman. Jake Dorety (0-1) was saddled with the loss in his collegiate debut as he was touched up for four runs on five hits with two walks and a strikeout.

Jacob Jenkins-Cowart finished off a solid first weekend with three more hits, two runs scored, a double and a home run. Jacob Starling and Cam Clonch also went yard in the fourth frame while Starling also accounted for a pair of RBI. The Broncs (0-3) managed just three infield singles and struck out 11 times.

THE PIRATES ARE ROLLING🔥🔥 @JenkinsCowart pic.twitter.com/fXf8Dmn3DC
— ECU Baseball (@ECUBaseball) February 18, 2024

Hunter worked around a pair of walks to emerge from the first inning unscathed and the offense gave him some early support in the home half of the second. Jenkins-Cowart laced a first-pitch double into the left center gap before Cunningham ambushed the first offering he saw and sent it up the middle to put the Pirates in position to do damage. Dixon Williams followed with an RBI single down the right field line and Luke Nowak kept the line moving with a sac bunt. Clonch then worked a full count before clubbing a three-run shot inside the right foul pole to extend the Pirate advantage to 4-0.

East Carolina put the game away in the fourth with a three spot. Ryley Johnson would draw a one-out walk before stealing second and scoring on Starling's second long ball of the season. With two away, Jenkins-Cowart unloaded on a 2-1 pitch and sent it sailing over the scoreboard in right center to push the Purple and Gold ahead 7-0.

The Pirates threatened to add more in the eighth when Joey Berini and Bristol Carter got into scoring position with two outs, but a groundout terminated the inning. Beal entered at that point and retired the Broncs in order to end the contest.

East Carolina improved to 11-0 all-time against Rider.
The Pirates produced an Opening Weekend sweep for the second-straight season and the seventh time since 2015.
ECU's pitching staff struck out double-digit batters for the third consecutive game.
The Pirates committed just one error in 100 defensive chances over the weekend.
Five different East Carolina players combined to steal eight bases in the three outings - including a 3-for-3 effort by Johnson and a 2-for-2 showing from Jenkins-Cowart.

Looking Ahead: ECU encounters its first midweek affair of the season when it makes the short trip to Buies Creek and Jim Perry Stadium Tuesday (Feb. 20) evening for an appointment with Campbell. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. and the contest will stream live on FloBaseball.