Pirates stomped by Seahawks
East Carolina won't be heading to Rice exactly on a high note.
UNC-Wilmington (17-6) snapped the Pirates (16-7) four-game winning streak with a 14-6 victory in front of 2,822 fans Wednesday evening at Clark-LeClair Stadium. The Seahawks, which avoided a season sweep by the Pirates, banged out 21 hits against eight ECU pitchers. Every starter for Wilmington had at least one hit.
The Pirates hurt their own chances with five costly errors.
ECU, which opens Conference USA play this weekend at No. 4 Rice, was held to two runs on five hits by Wilmington starter Jeff Hatcher (2-1). The sophomore, who made his second start of the season, fanned six and walked two in a career-high seven innings of work.
The Pirates were down 11-0 before scratching across four runs in the eighth. After Wilmington went up 14-4, the Pirates managed two more runs in the ninth.
“It was a rough night,” ECU coach Billy Godwin said. “I’ve been in the game long enough to know that you have nights like this. Fortunately, I haven’t been on this side of them too many times.
“We’re going to be fine. I was real proud of the players at the end. It was just a little too late.”
The Seahawks knocked starter Scott Andrews (1-1) out in the second inning. The senior southpaw, making his first start of the year, allowed three runs on six hits in just 1 2/3 innings of work.
Wilmington jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first. Jason Appel reached on an infield hit and eventually scored on an RBI-single by John Raynor.
The Seahawks tacked on two more runs off four hits in the second. Daniel Hargrave doubled into left to get things started. Hargrave scored on a throwing error by shortstop Dale Mollenhauer, the first of two in the inning by the sophomore. Kenny Smith, who reached on an error, later scored when Appel reached on a fielder's choice to make it 3-0.
The damage could have been worse, but left fielder Stephen Batts threw out Appel at the plate on a hit by John Raynor to end the inning.
ECU reliever Josh Dowdy did a solid job keeping it a 3-0 game until he had to leave because of an injury. The freshman, who gave up three hits and struck out three in 1 2/3 innings, came up lame after fielding a bunt by Chris Hatcher in the fourth.
Jason Neitz followed with 1 2/3 innings of shutout ball. The junior gave up one hit and struck out two.
Wilmington increased its lead to 5-0 off two relievers in the sixth. Hargrave hit a leadoff double against sophomore Chris Powell. Senior Carter Harrell came on and allowed an RBI-double to Chris Hatcher and an RBI-single to Appel.
ECU used a couple strong defensive plays to keep it 5-0, as catcher Jake Smith tagged out Appel on a double-steal attempt and Batts made a diving catch to rob Raynor of a hit.
Steve Halford's RBI-single in the seventh extended Wilmington's lead to 6-0 and ended the night for Harrell (three runs on three hits in 2/3 of an inning). Hargrave greeted ECU's sixth pitcher, senior Kevin Rhodes, with an RBI-double to make it 7-0. It was Hargrave's third double of the game, which tied a school record.
A passed ball, error, RBI-double by Halford and RBI-single by Hargrave off reliever Cody Leggett, ECU's seventh pitcher, produced four more runs in the eighth for an 11-0 advantage.
The Pirates avoided the shutout in the bottom of the eighth. Ryan Tousley and Chris Buss had pinch-hit RBI-singles and Harrison Eldridge smacked a two-run double to make it 11-4.
A two-run double by Raynor and an error allowed Wilmington to tack on three more runs in the ninth.
Tousley had an RBI single and Buss brought in another run on a ground out to close out the scoring.
Hargrave and Raynor banged out four hits apiece for Wilmington, while Chris Hatcher and Appel had three each.
Jay Mattox had three hits for the Pirates.
The Pirates begin C-USA play Friday against the Rice Owls, with the first pitch at Reckling Park scheduled for 8 p.m. The teams will play Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
T.J. Hose, Dustin Sasser and Brody Taylor will start for the Pirates on those respective days.
UNC-Wilmington (17-6) snapped the Pirates (16-7) four-game winning streak with a 14-6 victory in front of 2,822 fans Wednesday evening at Clark-LeClair Stadium. The Seahawks, which avoided a season sweep by the Pirates, banged out 21 hits against eight ECU pitchers. Every starter for Wilmington had at least one hit.
The Pirates hurt their own chances with five costly errors.
ECU, which opens Conference USA play this weekend at No. 4 Rice, was held to two runs on five hits by Wilmington starter Jeff Hatcher (2-1). The sophomore, who made his second start of the season, fanned six and walked two in a career-high seven innings of work.
The Pirates were down 11-0 before scratching across four runs in the eighth. After Wilmington went up 14-4, the Pirates managed two more runs in the ninth.
“It was a rough night,” ECU coach Billy Godwin said. “I’ve been in the game long enough to know that you have nights like this. Fortunately, I haven’t been on this side of them too many times.
“We’re going to be fine. I was real proud of the players at the end. It was just a little too late.”
The Seahawks knocked starter Scott Andrews (1-1) out in the second inning. The senior southpaw, making his first start of the year, allowed three runs on six hits in just 1 2/3 innings of work.
Wilmington jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first. Jason Appel reached on an infield hit and eventually scored on an RBI-single by John Raynor.
The Seahawks tacked on two more runs off four hits in the second. Daniel Hargrave doubled into left to get things started. Hargrave scored on a throwing error by shortstop Dale Mollenhauer, the first of two in the inning by the sophomore. Kenny Smith, who reached on an error, later scored when Appel reached on a fielder's choice to make it 3-0.
The damage could have been worse, but left fielder Stephen Batts threw out Appel at the plate on a hit by John Raynor to end the inning.
ECU reliever Josh Dowdy did a solid job keeping it a 3-0 game until he had to leave because of an injury. The freshman, who gave up three hits and struck out three in 1 2/3 innings, came up lame after fielding a bunt by Chris Hatcher in the fourth.
Jason Neitz followed with 1 2/3 innings of shutout ball. The junior gave up one hit and struck out two.
Wilmington increased its lead to 5-0 off two relievers in the sixth. Hargrave hit a leadoff double against sophomore Chris Powell. Senior Carter Harrell came on and allowed an RBI-double to Chris Hatcher and an RBI-single to Appel.
ECU used a couple strong defensive plays to keep it 5-0, as catcher Jake Smith tagged out Appel on a double-steal attempt and Batts made a diving catch to rob Raynor of a hit.
Steve Halford's RBI-single in the seventh extended Wilmington's lead to 6-0 and ended the night for Harrell (three runs on three hits in 2/3 of an inning). Hargrave greeted ECU's sixth pitcher, senior Kevin Rhodes, with an RBI-double to make it 7-0. It was Hargrave's third double of the game, which tied a school record.
A passed ball, error, RBI-double by Halford and RBI-single by Hargrave off reliever Cody Leggett, ECU's seventh pitcher, produced four more runs in the eighth for an 11-0 advantage.
The Pirates avoided the shutout in the bottom of the eighth. Ryan Tousley and Chris Buss had pinch-hit RBI-singles and Harrison Eldridge smacked a two-run double to make it 11-4.
A two-run double by Raynor and an error allowed Wilmington to tack on three more runs in the ninth.
Tousley had an RBI single and Buss brought in another run on a ground out to close out the scoring.
Hargrave and Raynor banged out four hits apiece for Wilmington, while Chris Hatcher and Appel had three each.
Jay Mattox had three hits for the Pirates.
The Pirates begin C-USA play Friday against the Rice Owls, with the first pitch at Reckling Park scheduled for 8 p.m. The teams will play Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 1 p.m.
T.J. Hose, Dustin Sasser and Brody Taylor will start for the Pirates on those respective days.
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