Monmouth takes Pirates in 10

From electronic and staff reports
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Junior leftie Andrew McGee and sophomore righthander Adam Yunginger teamed up for a 10-inning five-hitter and junior second baseman Jake Gronsky and senior first baseman Chris Perrett delivered the key hits to propel Monmouth (3-5) to a 4-3 victory over East Carolina (7-5) Friday evening at Clark-LeClair Stadium.

Among the game's rare offensive fireworks, Gronsky's three-run homer in the top of the third was the one for the highlight reel. The blast to left field broke a scoreless tie and gave the Hawks a cushion the Pirates eventually offset but could not overcome.

ECU scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the third courtesy of junior shortstop Jack Reinheimer's RBI single and a wild pitch.

After the Pirates pulled even in the sixth on a leadoff homer to left by junior first baseman Chase McDonald, McGee and reliever Yunginger pitched shutout ball the rest of the way.

The coup de grace came on Perrett's one-out sacrifice fly in the 10th, which drove in sophomore outfielder Steve Wilgus for what proved to be the decisive run.

Sophomore righthander Jeff Hoffman started for the Pirates and logged eight innings, limiting Monmouth to six hits, one of which was Gronsky's three-run blow.

The game was knotted at 3-3 when senior southpaw Jake Harris took over for Hoffman to start the ninth. Harris held the Hawks at bay for 1 1/3 innings, surrendering a ninth inning single to third baseman Owen Stewart and issuing a base on balls to Wilgus to start the 10th.

Harris gave way to junior righthander/designated hitter Drew Reynolds after Wilgus moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. Reynolds served up a single to Gronsky that advanced Wilgus to third, setting the stage for Perrett's winning sacrifice fly.

ECU was able to muster only a two-out single by Reynolds in the bottom of the inning before McDonald flied out to right to end the game.

Yunginger (1-0) got credit for the win after stepping in for McGee at the beginning of the eighth. He handcuffed the Pirates on one hit and one walk over the final three frames.

Harris (0-1) absorbed the loss.

East Carolina will try to even the series when the teams face off Saturday at 2 p.m.

PAGE UPDATED 03/09/13 03:07 AM.

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