Shockers Outlast Pirates 5-4 In Series Opener

Friday, May 2

Wichita, Kan.

7:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

26-20, 0

Wichita State

14-30, 0

East Carolina

Wichita State

May 02, 2025 | Baseball

Box Score

WICHITA, Kan. – East Carolina's bullpen limited host Wichita State to just one hit after the second inning Friday night, but the Shockers made a four-run second frame stand in a 5-4 victory inside Eck Stadium.

The Pirates (26-20, 10-9 AAC) out-hit Wichita State 8-5 and did not commit an error in the contest, but the Shockers (14-30, 6-13) took advantage of seven walks issued by ECU's pitching staff to grab the early advantage and hold on in the end.

Grant Adler (4-5) picked up the win on the mound, allowing three runs on five hits with three walks and five strikeouts in 6.0 innings of work. Brad Pruett (3-5) took the loss as he was charged with five runs on three hits with four walks and no strikeouts in 1.2 frames. Nick Potter secured his third save of the campaign by tossing a perfect ninth.

Camden Johnson led off the game with an infield single before reaching second on a groundout and scoring via a Josh Livingston RBI base knock through the right side. The Pirates prevented further damage by turning an inning-ending double play.

The Shockers extended their advantage in the bottom of the second. With two outs and the bases empty, three consecutive walks led to an infield single, another free pass and a two-run Jordan Rogers double that left Wichita State ahead 5-0. Eat Carolina attempted to answer in the top of the third as Walker Barron worked a one-out walk and advanced to third on a subsequent Alex Bouche single, but a strikeout and throw to second on the play brough the half inning to an abrupt end.

Neither side dented the scoreboard in the next four frames, but the Pirates mounted a big rally in the top of the seventh to pull within a run and make it a game once more. Colby Wallace shot a single up the middle to lead off and Dixon Williams doubled to left center to put ECU on the front foot. Roger Vergara followed with a two-run single down the left field line and Barron kept the line moving with a one-out base hit of his own. Bouche then stung a double into the left center gap to plate pinch runner Alex Peltier and Braden Burress lifted a sacrifice fly into right to make it a one-run game.

After Pirate reliever Ethan Young provided a shutdown frame in the home half of the seventh, Jack Herring singled on the infield to begin the top of the eighth. However, two strikeouts and a fly ball to left kept him on the base paths and preserved the home team's tenuous lead.

Jake Hunter pitched the bottom of the eighth and retired the Shockers in order, but Potter did the same in the ninth to end the contest.

Up Next: The Pirates and Shockers continue their series Saturday at 3 p.m. EDT