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ECU Shuts Out Maryland 4-0

ECU right-hander Trey Benton lasted for 93 pitches, giving up no runs in improving to 4-1 on the season.
ECU right-hander Trey Benton lasted for 93 pitches, giving up no runs in improving to 4-1 on the season. (PirateIllustrated.com photo)

(17)East Carolina continued to add to their resume in improving to 14-4 on the season with a 4-0 shutout of Maryland Friday night in game one of a three game set in Clark-LeClair Stadium.

ECU right-hander Trey Benton collected the win for the Pirates. Benton went six and two-thirds innings, giving up no runs on nine hits with eight strikeouts in 93 pitches.

“The biggest difference since last year is learning how to pitch, not just throwing a big number on the radar gun. Me and Coach Roszel really worked on taking the ball and missing barrels and I think it’s giving my team a better chance of winning,” said Benton who moved to 4-1 with the win, “Over the course of the game I think they pick up on the sinker a little bit so it’s good to have those two off speed pitches in my back pocket.”

Then Concord right-hander Ryan Ross then came on to close the deal and pick up his first save of the year, giving up just one hit to go along with four strikeouts in 25 pitches.

The two Pirate pitchers combined for 12 strikeouts and didn’t give up a walk all night.

“It was good to come in there and build it up for the guy. He pitched really well for us. There were several guys who could have come in and done it for us but I’m glad I was the one to do it,” Ross said who has been solid all week long for ECU. He talked about the pitch that has been the most effective for him, “Always the slider. You can ask the coaches and it would alway be the slider.”

Senior right-hander Taylor Bloom went 105 pitches, throwing the complete game for the Terps. Bloom dropped to 2-3 on the season in taking the game one loss for Maryland.

Benton started out rocky but then settled in to grind out a quality win for the Pirates.


Andrew Henrickson skies over the left field wall to rob Maryland of a sure home run in ECU's 4-0 victory.
Andrew Henrickson skies over the left field wall to rob Maryland of a sure home run in ECU's 4-0 victory. (PirateIllustrated.com photo)
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“Trey definitely wasn’t comfortable out there early, but just managed it. Andrew Henrickson with the rob of the home run in the first inning. The game is different if Henny doesn’t make that catch, it’s two to nothing right off the bat. Instead it’s nothing-nothing and we got the momentum” Coach Cliff Godwin said afterward.

“Trey settled in and pitched unbelievable. Then Ryan Ross coming in with a bases loaded jam in the seventh and then pitching the eighth and ninth and just smothering them. Twelve strikeouts and no free bases for our pitching staff. I don’t know if we could have pitched any better.”

“Right out of the gate I’d say that I didn’t have my best stuff at all really. That’s when you’ve got to give your team a chance to win. You’ve just got to throw up zeros however way you can. After we scored some runs, I felt my stuff get back a little more electric and I feel that’s when I turned it on a little bit.” Benton said.

Things were relatively quiet until the bottom of the third inning when a Bryant Packard base hit up the middle brought in a pair of ECU runs.

In the bottom of the fifth, Turner Brown flied out to center which allowed Chandler Jenkins to score and expand the ECU lead to 3-0. Brown was at it again in the eighth when his solo home run over the right field wall increased the Pirates’ lead to 4-0.

“I thought we executed really well starting off with Dusty getting a bunt down and with men on first and second Packard’s single up the middle for two RBI’s. Turner having a sac fly and a home run to make it 4-0,” Godwin said, “We executed our plan and we played unbelievable defense. A really well played game by our guys.”

“Maryland came out swinging the bats for sure. You know, they’re tough. The play the game the right way so it will be tough the rest of the weekend,” said Godwin.

The two teams will meet again on Saturday in game two of the three-game weekend series with a 4 p.m. first pitch scheduled in Clark-LeClair Stadium.

PI PHOTO GALLERY: ECU 4 Maryland 0

BOX SCORE & STATISTICS

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