Tigers swept in doubleheader at No. 8 ECU

Friday, April 9

Greenville, N.C.

11 a.m.

University of Memphis

11-16, 1-4

ECU

23-5, 5-0

Memphis

East Carolina

Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

Apr 09, 2021 | Baseball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

GREENVILLE, N.C. – In two games that felt very different, the Memphis Tigers came up short to the East Carolina Pirates in both halves of Friday's doubleheader. The Pirates walked-off in eight innings in a 12-2 game one final, while ECU held on in a 5-3 game two victory. The AAC's 10-run rule came into effect in game one, the second straight weekend that ECU has activated the rule, while it was the first time this season that the Tigers have been walked-off on.

Memphis (11-17, 1-5) held an early lead in Friday's opener, as Ben Brooks hit a one-out, solo home run in the second inning off of Gavin Williams (W, 4-0). The two-time reigning AAC Pitcher of the Week settled in and allowed just three more hits over five innings. Williams won his fourth consecutive start as he struck out nine and walked just one.

Jackson Cothren (L, 1-4) wasn't able to hold the Memphis' lead for long, as the Pirates tied the game on an RBI single from Zach Agnos in the home half of the frame. Cothren escaped any further damage in the inning, as the Memphis starter stranded two in scoring position and kept the game tied.

After trialing 1-0 early, East Carolina (24-5, 6-0) flexed its top-ranked offense with nine straight runs. After tying the game in the second, the Pirates scored three times in the third to take the lead and had another five men cross the plate in the fifth. Seth Caddell gave ECU the lead with an RBI double in the third, while Moylan and Alec Makarewicz each picked up an RBI in the frame. In the fifth, Cothren faced five batters but got just one out. With two men in scoring position and no outs, Agnos reached on a fielder's choice with an error by Alec Trela that plated a run. Bryson Worrell followed with an RBI double that ended Cothren's afternoon, as the Tigers turned to James Muse. The Memphis reliever struck out Ryder Giles, but Connor Norby followed with a three-run home run, as the Pirates led 9-1 after five innings. Cothren allowed eight runs, five earned, on 10 hits over 4.1 innings in the loss.

The Tigers got back on the board in the sixth, once again via a solo home run, as Trela greeted Garrett Saylor with a first pitch bomb to left field. That was Memphis' final run of the game, as Saylor and Trystan Kimmell combined for the final three innings out of the Pirates' bullpen. Memphis trailed 9-2 after Trela's home run, while JT Durham allowed a pair of runs in the seventh and then gave up a walk-off RBI single to Ben Newton in the eighth. Newton's single made it 12-2 ECU and triggered the AAC's 10-run rule, which ended the game.

In game two, the Pirates jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead, though after a lightning delay, the Tigers seemed to be on the brink of picking up their first win vs. a ranked opponent since May 2019, also against ECU. Blake Wimberley (L, 2-4) gave up a run in the opening frame and three more in the second. Worrell, who homered in game one, hit a three-run blast to right-centerfield in the frame, which made it 4-0 and proved to be the decisive hit in the game.

After the 30-minute delay in the second inning, the Tigers came back strong with a run in the third against Carson Whisenhunt (ND) on a two-out single, wild pitch, and E2. Two innings later, Memphis pulled within a run, as Zach Wilson launched a two-out, two-run home run to right field. The Tigers trailed 4-3 at the midpoint of the game but couldn't crack the ECU bullpen.

After 4.2 innings from Whisenhunt, the Pirates turned to the pen and a trio of relievers that combined for 4.1 innings of shutout relief. Matt Bridges (W, 3-0) struck out a pair over 1.1 frames, Cam Colmore allowed just two hits over two-scoreless innings, while C.J. Mayhue (SV, 6) struck out the side in the ninth and secured ECU's 5-3 win. The Tigers left the tying run at second base in the seventh and had the tying run at the plate with no outs in the ninth but couldn't capitalize. Memphis went just 1-8 with RISP and left seven runners on base in the loss.

The Tigers will look to get back into the series and set up a chance for a road split, as they face the Pirates Saturday in Greenville. Landon Kelly (2-2, 5.14) is slated to start for the Tigers. Kelly has given up at least four runs in each of his last two outings, both Memphis losses. For the Pirates, Jake Kuchmaner (2-1, 4.46) will aim to pitch ECU to a series win and set up a Sunday sweep opportunity. Kuchmaner has gone at least 4.1 innings and allowed no more than three earned runs in each of his last four starts. First pitch Saturday is set for 3 p.m. at Clark-LeClair Stadium. The series will conclude with a 10:30 a.m. start Sunday.