Error lets Owls fly the coop

From electronic and staff reports
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Rice broke up a scoreless pitching duel with three unearned innings in the ninth inning to capture a 3-0 Conference USA victory over East Carolina Friday night at Clark-LeClair Stadium.

Held in check by ECU starter Jeff Hoffman through eight innings, the Owls got on the scoreboard through unconventional means in the top of the final frame.

After back-to-back singles by Christian Stringer and Ford Stainback, Michael Aquino's sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third.

Kennan Cook followed with a bunt that was fielded by ECU senior second baseman Bryan Bass, whose misfire to the plate in an attempt to cut down Stringer bounded well past freshman catcher Travis Watkins.

As the Pirates scrambled to retrieve the ball near the backstop on the third base side, Stringer and Stainback raced to the plate for what proved to be the decisive runs.

Rice added an insurance run before the inning was over when Geoff Perrott singled and was driven home on Michael Ratterree's two-out double.

Hoffman then gave way to junior designated hitter/righthanded relief pitcher Drew Reynolds who got the final out on a fly ball.

The late turn of events sullied a sterling performance by Hoffman, who fell to 3-4 with the loss. The sophomore righthander struck out nine and muzzled the Owls on four hits until the ninth.

Junior righthander Austin Kubitza and sophomore rightie Zech Lemond kept ECU's batters swinging at air for much of the game, combining for 14 strikeouts and scattering five hits.

Lemond took over for Kubitza with one out in the eighth and got credit for the victory. After fanning the first four batters he faced, Lemond (3-1) surrendered a double to junior third baseman Zach Houchins with two outs in the ninth before sealing the outcome by retiring Reynolds on a fly to right field.

ECU (14-16, 0-4 C-USA) will try to square up the series when it hosts the Owls (22-10, 5-2) Saturday at 2 p.m.

PAGE UPDATED 04/06/13 02:05 AM.

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