Baker's Tenth Inning Hit Propels ECU Past Utah in the KLC

It took two days to get the game completed but Dusty Baker’s walk-off base knock of of Utah pitcher Dustyn Schramm in the bottom of the tenth proved to be the game winner in a 7-6 ECU victory over Utah in the Keith LeClair Classic.

A double down the right field line from Alec Burleson got things started before a pair of walks from Jake Washer and Ryder Giles set things up in the bottom of the tenth.

Evan Voliva(2-1) picked up the win for ECU and Dustyn Schramm(1-1) absorbed the loss for Utah. Voliva came on late to pitch two and a third innings giving up no runs in 32 pitches.

Bryant Packard got ECU on the scoreboard for a 1-0 lead on Friday on a base knock to right field in the bottom of the second inning and Bryson Worrell scored before the Pirates stranded three on base.

ECU struck for three runs in the third frame on RBI base hits from Bryson Worrell, Turner Brown and Lane Hoover as the Pirate lead grew to 4-0.

With the bases loaded in the fourth inning, Utah, Jayden Kierman reached on a fielder’s choice to score a run. Then on the next at bat, Packard and Worrell let a ball drop between them on a miscommunication in the ECU outfield on what was ruled a double by Chase Fernlund and Utah score two more runs to cut the lead to 4-3.

With rain beginning to fall in Greenville, Utah pinch hitter Tyler Thompson’s first career RBI off of ECU reliever Zach Barnes tied the game. His single up the middle brought Rykker Tom across home plate before a rain delay was called with the two teams tied at 4-4.

Starting pitcher Alec Burleson was credited with three of the four runs on five hits with four strikeouts in his five innings of work for the Pirates. Burleson gave up three runs on five hits. Zach Barnes and Trey Benton both saw an inning of relief action in the victory as well.

After play resumed on Saturday, Dusty Baker’s suicide squeeze allowed Spencer Brickhouse to zip home from third base. Then a Lane Hoover base knock up the middle brought Baker home for another run off of Utah pitcher Zac McCleve to give ECU a 6-4 lead in the seventh inning.

But in the eighth inning, Chandler Anderson’s two-run home run to left off of ECU pitcher Trey Benton tied the game at 6-6 and it would remain tied until the tenth frame.