Lane Hoover had three hits that proved to be big while Jake Washer added two more runs and a pair of RBI to help lead ECU to a 10-7 victory over ODU Wednesday night in Norfolk.
It was the Pirates' fifth straight win.
Alec Burleson moved to 4-1 with the win, going four innings with three strikeouts and just a pair of walks and gave up just one earned run. Five ECU relief pitchers saw action in the victory.
Jason Hartline took the loss for ODU, giving up a pair of runs on two hits(one earned) in three innings of work before six other pitchers saw action.
“This game worried me because last night was an emotional game over four hours, a quick turnaround - get on a bus. Two and a half hour drive, you get up here. I thought on the mound with Burleson, he was really good and kind of got back to himself. Gavin Williams with the bases loaded only giving up a run. I thought that was special,” said Cliff Godwin, “Then Garrett Saylor coming in and getting the last out was huge.”
Hoover’s spectacular diving catch in the outfield helped Williams get out of a bases loaded two-out jam that proved big in the outcome Wednesday night.
“No question. He lays out and the thing is in batting practice today I was watching him and he made two web gems in right field just in BP, so he was ready to play,” said Godwin.”
“You know you’ve got to be ready every pitch because you don’t know if it’s coming to you or not so you’ve just got to be ready. That was big and I was just happy to help my pitcher out,” said Hoover afterward, “I’ll do anything to help the team and it was a good team win.”
Godwin pointed to the solid pitching Burleson and those who entered in relief along with solid hitting that got ECU going offensively.
“A lot of quality at-bats at the bottom of the lineup really got us going. Hoover got us going, Ryder Giles bunted him over, Dusty Baker hits a double. Those guys at the bottom had some big knocks. Ryder had two RBI, Dusty had one or two, Hoover had a couple. Washer had some big two out RBI’s”
Dusty Baker got ECU on the scoreboard in the third inning on a double down the right field line that allowed Lane Hover to score. The Pirates then made it 2-0 when Brady Lloyd reached on a throwing error by pitcher Jason Hartline and Dusty Baker scored.
ECU scored again in the fourth when Jake Washer’s base hit up the middle brought Turner Brown in from second base. Then with the bases loaded, Bryant Packard was hit by a pitch to score another Pirate run to make it 4-0.
Will Morgan homered to right field in the bottom of the fourth to get ODU on the scoreboard at 4-1.
But ECU scored again in the fifth frame on a Jake Washer RBI base hit to right field as the Pirate lead grew to 5-1. ODU then pulled back to within three in the bottom of the fifth when Vinnie Pasquantino pop fly to right brought Jared Hancock home from third base.
Ryder Giles knocked a two-RBI base hit up the middle in the top of the eighth inning. Spencer Brickhouse’s hit added two more runs before a Turner Brown ground out scored another Pirate run to make it 10-2.
ODU then put a bit of a scare into the Pirates in the ninth when Andy Garriola’s grand slam home run and a Will Morgan solo homer helped the Monarchs pull to within just three runs at 10-7.
The Pirates return to action in AAC play when Tulane comes to town for the first of a three-game set at 6:30 pm Friday night
