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Can you reach a crossroads in your season after only one game?

Well, if you can, 24th-ranked East Carolina undoubtedly reached one after getting drilled 22-5 by second-ranked South Carolina in its opener on Saturday.

It was evident that Billy Godwin and his staff would find out a lot more about their team from the second game of the doubleheader than they did the first.

Would the Pirates come out sharp and compete with the Gamecocks or would they allow the first game to beat them twice?

The third-year Pirate coach had to love what he saw, as his team responded to the challenge by notching its first win of the season with a 13-4 rout of USC in game two before losing a 7-6, 11-inning heartbreaker in the rubber game on Sunday.

Things went right downhill from the get-go in the opener, as the Cocks plated four in the first before exploding for eight in the second frame. They would push their lead to as many as 19 runs at 22-3 before prevailing 22-5.

The Pirates really needed something good to happen early in game two and it did. They took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Kyle Roller doubled home Stephen Batts. USC would erase that lead with two runs—one on a four-base error and the other on a home run—in the bottom half off Pirate freshman hurler Seth Maness.

East Carolina took control of the game for good in the top of the third, as it put up a five-spot that was highlighted by a bases clearing three-run triple by Jamie Ray.

The Gamecocks did close within 6-2 when Reese Havens led off the bottom of the inning with a solo blast to right center.

Brandon Henderson’s grand slam to left in the fifth made it 11-3 and the lead reached 13-3 before USC pushed across a run in the ninth for the 13-4 final.

Maness allowed three runs—only two earned—on five hits in four innings in his East Carolina debut. He struck out five while walking three.

Junior college transfer Daniel Holder also had an excellent first mound appearance as a Pirate. Holder, who starts his wind-up from a position that looks like something out of Karate Kid, went 4.1 innings and allowed but a single run on four hits.

In the rubber game, Billy Godwin’s club led 3-0 through three and a half following home a two-run homer by Drew Schieber in the second and a solo bomb by Ryan Wood—that cleared the batter’s eye in center—in the third.

Justin Bristow, who pitched for Auburn last season, worked his way out of jams in the first couple innings and stranded five USC runners. After the lead-off man reached on an error, it appeared that the Gamecocks may leave another on after Bristow fanned Justin Smoak and Phil Disher; however, Harley Lail delivered a two-out double to trim the Pirate lead to 3-1.

ECU got the run back in the fourth. Jamie Ray led-off with his second triple of the weekend and scored on one out sacrifice fly by Drew Schieber.

Reese Havens, who earned SEC Player of the Week honors for his 7-of-14 performance over the weekend against the Pirates, drew a lead-off walk in the bottom half of the fourth. Whit Merrifield would proceed to hit his second round tripper of the weekend to pull the Cocks with 4-3.

The Pirates would not score over the next four innings, as South Carolina reliever Curtis Johnson really did a terrific job out of the bullpen for Ray Tanner’s club. He went 6.2 innings and allowed two runs on four hits—striking out five and walking three.

ECU did miss out on opportunities to extend its lead in fifth and seventh innings. The Pirates left four runners on in those two at-bats and the Gamecocks escaped the seventh inning when Kyle Roller grounded into an inning double play after USC had intentionally walked Stephen Batts to bring the double play into effect.

Sthil Sowers, who entered the game in the sixth, walked three-hole hitter James Darnell to start the bottom of the seventh. Switch-hitting Justin Smoak proceeded to hit second home run of the weekend when he took one out to left center—giving his team its first lead of the game at 5-4.

The Pirates tied the game in the top of the ninth. Schieber led off the inning with a double to the left center gap. After Austin Homan drew a pinch-hit walk, Harrison Eldridge sacrified them to scoring position with only one out. Ryan Wood would then deliver the game-tying RBI with a groundout to second.

Sowers, who allowed two runs on four hits over 4.1 innings in his first collegiate action, got the Pirates into the tenth before being placed by Josh Ruhlman with one down.

Ruhlman, who appears to be throwing with more velocity and control than a season ago, entered with a man on second and helped the Pirates get out of the jam to extend the game.

After Drew Schieber led off the 11 th with his third hit of the day, Dustin Harrington bunted him up to second. With two down, Stephen Batts—who struggled overall in the series—delivered an RBI-single to left to give ECU a 6-5 advantage.

Ray Tanner’s club was not to be denied, though. James Darnell led off with a single to center and the Cocks had runners on first and second following Justin Smoak being issued a walk. Adam Crisp, who had entered the game for Phil Disher, bunted them into scoring position. The Pirates proceeded to intentionally walk Harley Lail to bring the double play into order, but it went for naught when Kyle Enders drove a two-run game winning single to center.

While it was certainly disappointing for the Pirates to be unable to close out the game Sunday to win the series, you left Sarge Frye Field with the feeling that these teams could potentially meet again later in the season.

East Carolina must continue to improve in the middle. Drew Schieber showed some range issues at shortstop, which could be a concern for the Pirates as the season progresses. He would probably be better suited at third base. However, he is needed at shortstop due to Ryan Wood playing second to rest his arm for the pitching demands it’ll be subjected to.

The Pirates’ outfield will be improved when Trent Ashcraft returns from his shoulder injury. Freshman Trent Whitehead was used to solidify the situation in Columbia, as he was used as a late-innings defensive replacement in games two and three.

East Carolina will now travel to Elon on Wednesday for a mid-week contest against the Phoenix. First-pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.

The Pirates last visit to Elon came during the 2003 season. That contest concluded in a rare 5-5 tie.

Elon opened its season by sweeping four games from LaSalle over the weekend in Elon. The Phoenix will play at UNC-Wilmington today at 4 p.m.

 

> ECU Baseball photos @ PhotoBucket