Pirates take down conference
kingpins
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GREENVILLE — East Carolina's Chase McDonald hit a
two-run homer in a four-run fourth inning as the Pirates erased a 3-0
deficit and took a 6-3 baseball win over Conference USA leader Southern Miss
at Clark-LeClair Stadium on Friday night.
ECU's ninth win in its last 11 games pushed its record
to 25-21 for the season and 9-7 in C-USA.
Zach Houchins singled before McDonald's drive down the
left field line cut the Golden Eagles' lead to 3-2. Jay Cannon bunted his
way aboard and moved to third on a double by Dylan Brown. A walk to Travis
Watkins loaded the bases before a sacrifice fly by Bryan Bass tied the score
at 3.
A double steal advanced the runners before the Pirates
went ahead on an infield single by Jack Reinheimer.
Pirate starter Jeff Hoffman made the lead stand up with
relief help from Brett Mabry and Drew Reynolds.
Hoffman (5-5) got the win, working seven innings. The
sophomore right-hander allowed six hits and five walks while striking out
five. All three Southern Miss runs off Hoffman were earned.
Mabry made his 12th appearance of the season in the
eighth and held the visitors scoreless.
Reynolds picked up his 12th save with a scoreless
ninth.
The Pirates pushed their lead to 6-3 in the fifth on an
RBI double by Ben Fultz and a sacrifice fly by Watkins.
Houchins had three of ECU's 11 hits. Fultz and Reynolds
each had two hits.
Southern Miss (24-20,13-6 C-USA) had just one of its
six hits after the fourth inning.
The Pirates recovered from leadoff walks in the eighth
and ninth with double plays.
The outcome put ECU in a tie for third in the league
standings with Rice, one game behind second place Central Florida, which is
11-7 in C-USA.
The Pirates host game two of the three-game set with
the league leaders at 2 p.m. today. |