Hoffman notches victory over Illini

From electronic and staff reports
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Illinois struck first but East Carolina struck hardest Thursday night as the Pirates put up eight unanswered runs to defeat the Fighting Illini 8-2 in the opening game of the Tenth Annual Keith LeClair Classic at Clark-LeClair Stadium.

Story continues after the following picture.

Jay Cannon (23), Bryan Bass (6) and
Chase McDonald (42) celebrate ECU's
first win of the season. (Photo: W.A. Myatt)

After giving up a first-inning run on an RBI single by Illinois junior leftfielder Jordan Parr, ECU starter Jeff Hoffman settled into a rhythm and stymied the Illini through 6 2/3 innings as the Pirates took control with two runs in the fourth and four in the sixth.

Hoffman (1-1) fanned nine and scattered six hits before giving way to reliever Dylan Dickens with two outs in the seventh and the Pirates leading 6-2. The performance netted Hoffman, a sophomore righthander, his first win of the season.

Story continues after the following picture.

ECU starter Jeff Hoffman looks on from
the dugout as the Pirates put up four runs
in the sixth inning. (Photo: W.A. Myatt)

Junior third baseman Zach Houchins got East Carolina's offense going with a two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth. The blast gave the Pirates a 2-1 lead, an advantage that would grow when ECU sent nine batters to the plate and added four runs in the sixth.

Story continues after the following picture.

ECU second baseman Bryan Bass
turns in a double play in the top
of the eight. (Photo: W.A. Myatt)

After the Pirates added a pair of runs in the seventh for a seven-run cushion, Illinois ended its seven-inning scoreless stretch with a single run in the ninth to account for the final score.

Junior designated hitter Drew Reynolds was 2-for-5 and scored a pair of runs for the Pirates. ECU's seventh-inning outburst was highlighted by a two-run single by freshman catcher Travis Watkins.

Parr was 2-for-4, including a double, to pace the Illinois attack.

Illinois starter Kevin Johnson (1-1), a senior righthander, took the loss.

Today's rain-altered KLC schedule pits the Illini against Ohio at 11 a.m., Ohio against New Mexico State at 2 p.m., and the Pirates against Boston College at 6 p.m.

PAGE UPDATED 02/22/13 01:24 PM.

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