Pirates Defeat No. 21 Charlotte In Series Opener, 4-1

Friday, March 22

Greenville, N.C.

Noon

East Carolina University

22-8, 1-6

Charlotte

16-11, 5-2

Charlotte

East Carolina

March 22, 2024 | Softball

Box Score

GREENVILLE, N.C. – Emma Jackson went 2-for-4 at the plate including a two-run homer in the first inning to help lift East Carolina past Charlotte 4-1 in the series opener on Friday at Max R. Joyner Family Stadium.

Morgan Johnson and Taylor Woodring also added two hits for the Pirates (22-8, 1-6 AAC) who snapped their six-game losing streak with the win.

The win marked the first home win over a ranked opponent for the Pirates since Apr. 7, 2013 when ECU defeated No. 20 Tulsa, 6-4.

After getting off to slow starts in the first inning of its last three games, the Pirates flipped the script as Anna Sawyer drove a double to left center followed by Jackson's blast to give ECU an early 2-0 lead.

Charlotte would leave a runner in scoring position in the top of the second, but the Pirates would miss a chance to add to their lead, leaving a runner on third in the bottom of the third inning.

Both teams would go three and out in the fourth frame but the Pirates would add to their lead on a Joie Fittante RBI single to score Johnson, giving ECU a 3-0 lead going into the sixth inning. Jackson would add the finishing touches with an RBI single to plate Mary-Kathryn Scott in the bottom of sixth inning and Taylor Apple would force Charlotte's final three batters into groundouts to end the game with runners on second and third.

Apple (7-2) picked up the win with only one run allowed in seven innings of work.

Up Next
Due to forecasted rain in the area, Saturday's game has been postponed and the Pirates and 49ers will play a doubleheader on Sunday beginning at noon on ESPN+.