ECU Stays Alive With a 9-2 NCAA Regional Win Over N.C. State
ECU scored six runs in the third inning to take commanding lead and never looked back in a 9-2 win over N.C. State in NCAA regional action Saturday afternoon in Greenville.
Jake Washer had three RBI’s in the win including a two-run homer late in the contest to help lead the offensive attack for ECU(44-16). Jake Agnos improved to 11-2 with the victory on the mound, going eight innings of four hit baseball and giving up just two runs with nine strikeouts.
“I’m super proud of our guys. They were a resilient group after a tough loss last night. Can’t say enough about Jake Agnos. I thought N.C. State has one the best offenses we have faced all year,” said Cliff Godwin, “For Jake to go out there and throw eight innings the way he did at a time when our bullpen was obviously a little bit taxed from last night.”
“I don’t know if I’ve seen a kid pitch like that in that kind of circumstance against a quality opponent in my coaching career. I’ve had some opposing pitchers do it against some teams that I’ve coached but I’ve never had a guy like Jake do it in front of a crowd like that.”
Agnos talked about Saturday’s contest against the Wolfpack where ECU’s back was up against the wall and facing possible elimination.
“I think today’s game was just a representation of the team we are this year. We’ve got a lot of tough guys. Falling to a four see like that last night, that’s tough. For us to be able to put up a nine spot against N.C. State, we’re back in it,” said Agnos.
“We’re not done yet. We didn’t come into this tournament to go 1-1,” Agnos told PirateIllustrated.com afterward, “Yeah it was a big win, but we’ve got to come out with the same punch that we had in this game tonight. We’re going to get everybody’s best blow. This win was good but we didn’t come here to beat N.C. State and that’s it. And that’s what our team does a good job of and that’s never being satisfied and now it’s postseason and we’re going to be good to go.”
N.C. State head coach Elliot Avent gave kudos to Agnos' performance after the game.
"I just want to say how proud I am of our ballclub and the way they competed today.. They came out ready to play today. Pat set the tone with a home run off of one of the top pitchers in the country," said Avent, "He was on Team USA last year and Pat and Will got to play with him. I got to be around him and he's not only a class act but one of the best pitchers in the country."
"We had that tough third inning and didn't seem to be able to overcome that, but I'm proud of my guys. We had an unbelievable season. We did some things that hasn't been done at N.C. State in a long while and it's tough when it ends."
Patrick Bailey’s home run into the left field jungle off of Agnos got the Wolfpack off to what looked to be a quick start in the first inning.
But with ECU runners on first and third in the third inning, that prompted Avent to make an pitching change when Evan Justice came on in relief for Jason Parker. Parker lasted just two and a third and gave up three hits with five strikeouts in 49 pitches.
Ryder Giles then scored when Alec Burleson reached on a fielder’s choice to tie the contest with two outs in the third. After Spencer Brickhouse walked to put ECU runners on first and second, Jake Washer then sent a rocket up the middle that scored another run. Chandler Jenkins followed suit with a base hit of his own up the middle that allowed Burleson to scamper home for a quick 3-1 ECU lead.
That got Evan Jusice pulled for N.C. State(42-19) in favor of right-hander Michael Bienlien who inherited a pair of ECU runners on first and second.
Washer and Jenkins then scored when Brady Lloyd slapped a double down the right field line that was bobbled by right fielder Devonte Brown. That got Bienlien yanked for the Wolfpack for fast baller Nick Swiney who then came on in relief and with the Pirates up 5-1 and threw a wild pitch that scored Lloyd from third base to compound the issue for the Wolfpack and make it 6-1.
ECU added more runs in the seventh and eighth innings when Jake Washer delivered a two-run homer to right centerfield and an Alec Burleson RBI base hit in the eighth that made it 9-1.
Evan Edwards added an N.C. State run in the top of the ninth on a home run to right field but it wasn’t enough as the Pirates took the victory to advance to Saturday night play in the Greenville regional against the winner of the Campbell - Quinnipiac game.
PI POSTGAME AUDIO: CLIFF GODWIN, JAKE AGNOS & JAKE WASHER
PI POSTGAME AUDIO: ELLIOT AVENT, WILL WILSON & PATRICK BAILEY
