No. 9 Pirates Sweep Twinbill, Series From Shockers

Saturday, April 20

Greenville, N.C.

2:30 p.m.

East Carolina University

30-8, 10-4

Wichita State

21-19, 7-7

Wichita State

East Carolina

April 20, 2024 | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Game One Box Score (PDF)Game Two Box Score (PDF)

GREENVILLE, N.C. – If there is one thing to learn about the 2024 edition of the Purple and Gold, it's to never count this team out. No. 9 East Carolina scored 11 unanswered runs in both games of Saturday's doubleheader versus Wichita State to sweep it by scores of 11-7 and 11-4 inside Lewis Field at Clark-LeClair Stadium.

The Pirates (31-8, 11-4 AAC) completed the series sweep – their fifth of the season all told – to ensure at least a share of first place in the American Athletic Conference standings exiting the weekend with current co-leader UTSA set for its rubber game versus UAB Sunday afternoon. ECU also avenged a series sweep at the hands of the Shockers (21-20, 7-8 AAC) last season in Wichita.

4-0 this week🤟🏴‍☠️ #PIRATES pic.twitter.com/Tew5JNzihL
— ECU Baseball (@ECUBaseball) April 21, 2024

Game One: East Carolina 11, Wichita State 7
The Shockers exploded for a seven-run third inning to seize early control, but the Pirates answered with five two-out runs in the home half and never allowed the visitors to score again.

Zach Root (6-0) shook off the rough third frame and tossed two subsequent scoreless innings to remain unbeaten on the bump this season. He allowed seven runs (six earned) on eight hits with a walk and a strikeout. Caleb Anderson (1-3) was the losing pitcher after surrendering three runs on three hits in two innings with two walks and a strikeout.

Jacob Jenkins-Cowart three hits and scored a pair of runs while Justin Wilcoxen tied his career high in RBI (five) and accounted for three runs scored. Dayvin Johnson registered four RBI of his own thanks to a grand slam in the third inning.

After a scoreless two initial frames, Wichita State took off in the top of the third and loaded the bases with no outs via a single, error, walk and fielder's choice. Mauricio Millan was then hit by a pitch to plate the first run before an infield single made it 2-0. Johnson would extend the lead to six by sneaking a 2-2 offering just inside the left foul pole and over the wall for a grand slam. Derek Williams made it back-to-back long balls before the inning closed to leave the Shockers ahead by seven.

With two outs and the bases clean in the bottom of the third, Ryley Johnson drew a walk and moved to second on a Carter Cunningham single to left. Jenkins-Cowart followed with an RBI single that scored Johnson and Wilcoxen reduced the deficit even further by drilling a 1-1 pitch over the wall in right center for a three-run shot. Bristol Carter would keep things moving with walk and Ryan McCrystal deposited one into right center to push Carter to third. A wild pitch would score the rookie from third to cap a five-run outburst.

Colby Wallace led off the fourth by reaching first on a hit by pitch and advanced to second on a Dixon Williams free pass. Johnson moved the runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, allowing Wallace to score on a fielder's choice play to draw ECU within 7-6.

The Pirates grabbed the upper hand for good in the bottom of the fifth with Berini clubbing a two-run homer to right center and Johnson delivering an RBI single later in the frame to make it a 9-7 contest. Wilcoxen put the exclamation point on the comeback with a two-run job that landed in the right center field jungle to account for the final score. A quintet of East Carolina relievers ended up covering the final seven innings without allowing a run.

Game Two: East Carolina 11, Wichita State 4
The Pirates spotted the Shockers another multi-run cushion in the nightcap but plated three in both the fourth and fifth innings to seal another comeback victory.

Aaron Groller (2-0) picked up the win in relief, tossing a clean two innings while allowing just one hit and striking out two. Tommy LaPour (3-2) took the loss after giving up five runs on nine hits with two walks and no strikeouts in 4.2 frames of work.

Cam Clonch, who entered as a defensive replacement at first midway through the contest, made the most of the opportunity by tying his career-high mark in hits (four) and scoring four runs. Berini also enjoyed another phenomenal effort at the dish, going 3-for-4 with three runs scored and four RBI. Millan led Wichita State with three hits.

No context needed🚀📸 @cameronclonch6 pic.twitter.com/CgSQ6En1ki
— ECU Baseball (@ECUBaseball) April 21, 2024

The Shockers produced two singles to lead off the game before an error allowed Jordan Rogers to score the contest's first run. Wichita State put another tally on the board via a balk with Millan at third and Brayden Luikart made it 3-0 with a sacrifice fly before the inning was terminated with a grounder to third.

It took until the middle innings, but East Carolina began to shift the momentum in the bottom of the fourth. Wilcoxen sparked the rally with a leadoff single through the left side and Clonch took the first pitch he saw into right center. Berini also connected on the first pitch he saw, but he clobbered it way out of the park for a game tying three-run blast.

ECU dazed the visitors further in the home half of the fifth when Luke Nowak roped a one-out single to center and moved to second on a two-out Clonch single to the same part of the outfield. Following a pitching change, Berini shot a 2-2 pitch up the middle and plated Nowak for the go-ahead run. Wallace stretched the lead further with a sharp two-run single to the right center gap to propel the Pirates in front 6-3.

With the East Carolina bullpen putting up zero after zero, the Pirates delivered the knockout blow in the bottom of the seventh. Clonch sent a leadoff single through the left side of the infield and Berini worked a walk on a full count. A Wallace sacrifice bunt pushed the runners into scoring position for Johnson who put down a beautiful squeeze bunt that plated Clonch. Jenkins-Cowart would make the score 9-4 by lining a two-out double right down the right field line before Williams took a 1-2 offering into left center to push Jenkins-Cowart across and give ECU double figures in the run column.

The Shocker mustered one last rally in the top of the eighth, loading the bases with no outs, but Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman showed why he is one of the most clutch pitchers in the nation by inducing a pop up to shallow left field and striking out Kam Durnin and Camden Johnson consecutively to send Wichita State away empty handed.

Clonch put the cherry on top of his explosive effort in the bottom of the eighth with a solo no doubter over the right field wall. Ryan Callahan would give his side a consolation run in the ninth with a leadoff home run but Lunsford-Shenkman worked around a subsequent two-out single to put away Wichita State for good.

East Carolina's 31-8 record through 39 games is the best for the program since 2004 when that squad was 33-6 before winning 51 contests and reaching the Columbia Super Regional.
The Pirates improved to 20-2 inside Clark-LeClair Stadium including an 8-1 mark in league play.
ECU cemented its 13th and 14th come-from-behind victories of the campaign.
Johnson extended his on base streak to 37 games and has also hit safely in 12-straight outings.
The Pirate bullpen surrendered just one earned run in 11 innings over the doubleheader.

Up Next: East Carolina closes out its homestand Tuesday evening with a non-conference showdown versus NC State. First pitch at Clark-LeClair Stadium is scheduled for 6 p.m.