East Carolina Tops Campbell 14-6 on Senior Night in Clark-LeClair
The Pirates did it up right with five multiple run innings highlighted by a pair of Travis Watkins home runs in ECU’s 14-6 Senior Night victory over Campbell in Clark-LeClair Stadium.
All told, three Pirate seniors had home runs including Watkins, Luke Bolka and Charlie Yorgen. Chris Holba picked up the victory in his return to the mound for ECU to move to 4-1 for the season while Alex Yarem fell to 2-1 with the loss for Campbell.
“You never know how it’s going to go, but I don’t know if you could draw it up any better for those seniors. Kirk Morgan gave us a great start, Travis Watkins with two home runs, Bolka with a big homer, Eric Tyler had two RBI’s and Charlie (Yorgen) ended his career with a two-run homer and Bryce Harman has played his heart out for this program. I know tonight wasn’t his best game but he’s been a big part of this program for three years and he’s very special to me,” ECU head coach Cliff Godwin said, “Life’s not fair at times and no matter what this year holds for us these guys will always be very special in my heart.”
Watkins went three for three and also had a stolen base. He got things started in the bottom of the first inning when his two-run shot over the left field wall off of Campbell starter Bryce Cota gave the Pirates an early 2-0 lead.
“I can’t say enough about these guys on this team. We’ve been through so much together. Ups and downs and it was just a special night all around,” said Watkins, “Just play the game hard and that’s what I’ve tried to do every single time I suit up here for Pirate Nation. Just leave it all on the field.”
Campbell scored three runs in the fourth inning on a singles from Adam Wyse, Cole Hallum and Matthew Butler to take a 3-2 lead.
But ECU(28-25/6-12 AAC) struck right back when Watkins knocked his second homer of the game and a Drew Henrickson grounder allowed Turner Brown to come home for another ECU run that gave the Pirates a 4-3 lead.
Matt Butler’s single up the middle in the top of the fifth scored two more Camel runs as Campbell reclaimed the lead at 5-4.
The Pirates got back on top 7-5 on a three-run homer from Luke Bolka in the bottom of the fifth frame.
The Camels scored again in the sixth when Zach Minnick’s single to third put another Campbell run on the scoreboard and trimmed the ECU lead to one.
But Eric Tyler got in the act in the bottom of the sixth inning with Pirates on second and third. His single scored Charlie Yorgen and Dwanya Williams-Sutton to extend the Pirate lead to three. Then Wes Phillips’ base hit to center scored another ECU run to make it 10-6.
Charlie Yorgen put ECU up by a touchdown in the bottom of the seventh when he homered to right field to score two more ECU runs. The Pirates then got two more runs when Brown’s single brought Eric Tyler and Travis Watkins home in a 14-6 contest.
