Pirates Top Maryland 4-3 in Day Three of the Keith LeClair Classic
GREENVILLE, N.C. – Joe Ingle struck out a career-high nine batters and Dwanya Williams-Sutton drove in the game-winning run in the eighth inning lifting No. 16 East Carolina to a 4-3 win over Maryland in the final game of the 13th Annual Keith LeClair Classic.
With the win, the Pirates improve to 8-3 on the season and claim their fourth-straight LeClair Classic title, while the Terrapins fall to 5-5 on the year.
Ingle (2-1) picked up the win after working a career-high 3.2 innings where he allowed one run (earned) on two hits with three walks and tossing a career-high 84 pitches. Jimmy Boyd was solid in his start giving a pair of runs (both earned) on four hits with two walks and four strikeouts in 4.2 innings. Nick Durazo allowed three hits and fanned two in two-thirds of an inning.
Ryan Selmer (1-1) took the loss giving up the winning run in the eighth frame. He worked one-third of an inning in relief allowing a pair of hits. Starter Brian Shaffer gave up two runs (both earned) on five hits with five strikeouts in 5.1 frames. Robert Galligan (1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R) and Tayler Stiles (0.2 IP, 2 Ks) also worked out of the bullpen.
Eric Tyler and Charlie Yorgen each had a pair of base knocks for the Pirates, while six other contributed to the 10-hit attack. Tyler belted his first home run of the season, a two-run shot, while Parker Lamm extended his hit streak to a career-best 12 games.
A trip of Terrapins tallied two hits each in Andrew Biondic, Nick Cieri and Nick Dunn. Dunn also drove in a team-best two runs, while Kevin Smith added one on his first home run of the season.
How It Happened:With the game tied a three-all, Williams-Sutton sent a full-count offering from Selmer down the right field line scoring Tyler from second base for a 4-3 lead. Tyler led off the with a single to right center and moved to second on Wesley Phillips pinch hit sac bunt, before coming around on Williams-Suttons fifth double of the season.
Smith broke a scoreless tie in the fifth frame belting a solo home run to left field with two outs. Two batters later, Dunn drove in Madison Nickens on single down the left field line for a 2-0 lead.
The Pirates knotted the game at two-all on Tyler’s blast over the left field wall. Travis Watkins doubles off the left field wall and came around on the Pirates fourth homer of the season.
ECU took a 3-2 lead in the seventh when Turner Brown scored on a throwing error by Smith, who was trying to turn a double play on Yorgen’s fielder’s choice.
Maryland tied the game at three in the eighth on Dunn’s two-RBI double down the left field line. With two outs, Nickens reached on a strikeout wild pitch then moved in to scoring position on his first stolen base of the year.
ECU will be back in action on Tuesday when it plays host to George Mason at 4 p.m. EST.
