(8)ECU took a pair of wins from Cincinnati on Friday in their double-header at Marge Schott Stadium with a 9-2 win in game one followed by a 6-3 victory in the nightcap.
Jake Kuchmaner(5-1) got the game two win, going five and two-thirds innings in the game two start to pick up the victory for ECU(35-11, 15-2). Sam Lanier, Gavin Williams and eventually Evan Voliva came on in relief to get his fourth save of the year for the Pirates.
David Orndorff lasted six innings for Cincinnati(22-19/11-9 AAC), giving up six runs on six hits with seven strikeouts to absorb the loss before A.J. Kullen and Korren Thompson entered in relief for two innings and one frame respectively for the Bearcats.
Bryant Packard’s bases loaded double to centerfield in the second inning quickly put ECU up 3-0 in the second inning of game two.
The Pirates scored their fourth run of the game when a Thomas Francisco pop fly allowed Spencer Brickhouse to score from third base.
Cincinnati finally got on the scoreboard in the fourth when Jace Mercer’s double to right field scored two runs before a Mason Deanna SAC fly scored another Bearcats run to cut the ECU lead to 4-3.
In the fifth inning, Alec Burleson’s double to right centerfield and a Thomas Francisco grounder to second scored a pair of ECU runs to extend their lead to 6-3 to complete the scoring in game two.
GAME ONE
ECU picked up a 9-2 win over Cincinnati in game one of the Friday double-header at Marge Schott Stadium..
Jake Agnos(7-2) allowed just three hits in six innings of work with eight strikeouts and just three walks to pick up the win. Zach Barnes then came on in relief for the Pirates.
Evan Shawver gave up seven earned runs in just two and a third innings of work to take the loss for Cincinnati before Chase Stewart came on to pitch just over four innings along with Jackson Murphy and Brennan Dolwick who pitched an inning apiece in the loss.
The Pirates scored four runs in the first inning on RBI base hits from Turner Brown, Alec Burleson and Jake Washer.
ECU added three more in the third on an Alec Burleson double, a Lane Hoover RBI and Bryant Packard’s SAC fly that scored a run to give the Pirates commanding seven run lead.
Then in the seventh inning, Jake Washer’s double down the left field line scored two more runs to give ECU a nine run lead at 9-0.
Cincinnati answered in the eighth inning with a pair of runs of their own when Mercer and Bitzenhofer produced RBI base hits that cut the lead to 9-2.
The two teams resume action in game three of the weekend series at 1 o'clock on Sunday afternoon.
