Pirates Split First Day Of Purple-Gold Classic

Friday, February 13

Greenville, N.C.

3:00 p.m.

East Carolina University

3-3

Buffalo

2-5

Buffalo

East Carolina

February 13, 2026 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The East Carolina softball team split its first day of the Purple-Gold Classic at Max R. Joyner Family Stadium on Friday, defeating Buffalo 8-7 before falling to Notre Dame, 6-3, in nine innings.

Game One: East Carolina 8, Buffalo 7
Anna Sawyer went 2-for-3 at the plate with a home run while Sarah Stone added three hits as East Carolina outlasted Buffalo, 8-7.

After the Bulls took an early 3-0 lead, the Pirates answered with four runs in the bottom of the first inning, highlighted by Sawyer's long ball.

Stone and Jenna Krol sparked four more runs from the Pirates in the bottom of the fourth and the Pirates' defense was able to fend off a late-game rally from Buffalo.

Taylor Apple (1-2) picked up the win in the circle.

Game Two: Notre Dame 6, East Carolina 3 (9 inn.)
The Pirates and Fighting Irish went the distance in the nightcap of the first day at the Purple-Gold Classic with Notre Dame hitting a three-run bomb in the top of the ninth to pull away from East Carolina and pick up the win.

Sawyer was strong again offensively with two hits in the game for the Pirates who tied the game at 3-3 after some Notre Dame miscues in the bottom of the fourth.

After four scoreless innings, the Fighting Irish's three-run homer proved to be the deciding factor and the Pirates were unable to extend or win the game in the bottom of the ninth.

Julia Apostolakos (2-2) tossed five strikeouts in the loss.

Up Next
East Carolina faces Notre Dame at 3 p.m. and Maryland at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday to continue the Purple-Gold Classic.