ORLANDO – East Carolina used a five-run sixth inning to propel the Pirates to an 8-7 victory over UCF Saturday afternoon at Jay Bergman Field in Orlando. The Pirates had trailed 5-2 entering the sixth inning before erupting for the five runs to take the lead for good at 7-5. With the victory, ECU raised its record to 4-2 on the year while the Golden Knights dropped to 4-4.
The Pirates tallied three home runs on the day including two by Jake Smith as ECU tallied 11 hits in the win. UCF also totaled 11 hits but the Golden Knights stranded 12 runners on base.
After allowing an unearned run in the second, UCF starter Mark Michael was sailing along until the sixth. The Golden Knights scored three times in the fourth and twice in the fifth to take the early 5-2 advantage.
UCF’s troubles started in the sixth when Ryan Norwood homered to left field, cutting the deficit to 5-4. After a double, Michael was pulled for Lincoln Mincks but the big inning continued. Mincks pitched to just three batters without recording an out as he allowed two runs on two hits with a walk. When all the damage was done, the Pirates collected five hits in the inning en route to the five runs.
East Carolina added a run in the eighth when Jake Smith hit a home run to left field. The Golden Knights got one run back in the home half of the eighth to pull to within two at 8-6.
In the ninth, UCF scored one run but left the winning run on first base as the game ended. Ryan Bono singled to right field to score Rich Wallace cutting the lead to 8-7. After Matt Fox struck out with men on first and third, David Mann drilled a line drive to right but ECU right fielder Darryl Lawhorn made a running catch to end the game.
ECU reliever Matt Bishop (2-0) pitched 3.0 innings to earn the win. Bishop struck out four and allowed just one run in the relief appearance. Mincks (2-1) was tabbed with the loss for UCF.
The two teams will play the rubber game of the three-game series Sunday at 1 p.m. in Orlando.
