No. 9 ECU Downs Wichita State In Series Opener

Friday, April 19

Greenville, N.C.

8:30 p.m.

East Carolina University

29-8, 9-4

Wichita State

21-18, 7-6

Wichita State

East Carolina

April 20, 2024 | Baseball

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

GREENVILLE, N.C. – Junior RHP Trey Yesavage was outstanding yet again Friday night as he struck out a career-high 15 batters over 6.2 innings to help No. 9 East Carolina to a 6-4 victory over Wichita State in the opener of an American Athletic Conference series from Lewis Field at Clark-LeClair Stadium.

The Pirates (29-8, 9-4 AAC) moved back into a first-place tie with UTSA in the league standings after the Roadrunners dropped a 7-3 decision to UAB in San Antonio earlier in the evening. The Shockers (21-18, 7-6) fell to 5-8 away from home this campaign.

Yesavage (8-1), the two-time reigning AAC Pitcher of the Week, ended up allowing three runs on five hits but did turn in his eighth quality start of the year. Ethan Norby did not surrender a run over the final 1.1 frames and struck out four to collect his first collegiate save. Caden Favors (5-4) took the loss after giving up six runs (four earned) on 10 hits with a walk and seven strikeouts.

Ryley Johnson paced the ECU offensive efforts with three hits, a run scored and two RBI. The reigning AAC Player of the Week also extended his on base streak to 35 games. Colby Wallace followed suit with a 3-for-4 performance and finished with two runs scored. Dayvin Johnson led the visitors with a pair of hits.

Never take this for granted 🤟🏴‍☠️ pic.twitter.com/oRIjBf7kuT
— ECU Baseball (@ECUBaseball) April 20, 2024

Following clean first innings from both starters, East Carolina was the first to scratch the scoreboard in the bottom of the second. Bristol Carter reached on a throwing error to begin the frame before Colby Wallace singled with two outs to put Dixon Williams at second (reached on fielder's choice). Joey Berini kept things moving with an RBI single to left and Johnson sent a rocket up the middle that was knocked down by shortstop Kam Durnin. His throw went awry, allowing Wallace to cross home safely and make it 2-0 after two complete.

A Ryan McCrystal RBI single in the third extended the ECU advantage to three before the Pirates put up three more in the fourth via a Johnson two-run triple and Justin Wilcoxen textbook squeeze bunt that plated Johnson from third.

Wichita State sliced its deficit in half in the seventh with a three spot and drew even closer in the eighth thanks to an RBI groundout off the bat of Rogers. Norby would enter to face pinch hitter Gannon Snyder and caught him looking to strand a Shocker runner at third.

Norby finished the job in the top of the ninth, striking out the side in order to preserve the win.

East Carolina improved to 18-2 at home in 2024, including a 6-1 mark in conference contests.
The Pirate pitching staff notched 19 strikeouts and has fanned double-digit batters in a game 25 times.
ECU is now 16-4 when registering double figures in the hit column.
The Pirates were 4-for-10 (.400) with runners in scoring position and 2-for-3 (.667) with a runner on third and less than two outs.
Yesavage increased his season strikeout total to 101 and moved into 10th place on the ECU career list with a current mark of 251.

Up Next: East Carolina and Wichita State will close the series Saturday with a doubleheader beginning at 2:30 p.m. Game two will begin approximately 50 minutes after the conclusion of game one.