The second game of No. 11 ECU’s Saturday doubleheader against Houston looked like Friday’s 2-0 dud for awhile before ECU snapped out of it in time to secure the series win.
Houston (17-15, 3-6 AAC) starter Clay Aguilar gave up only two hits through six innings, much like Jael Lockhart did on Friday night. Then the seventh inning changed the game as the ECU (24-7, 8-1 AAC) offense managed to get going.
Jake Washer tied the game with a solo home run with one out in the inning. Then Brady Lloyd singled before Ryder Giles knocked in a two-out RBI single to score Lloyd and take a 2-1 lead. Spencer Brickhouse hit an RBI single to score Turner Brown in the eighth inning to give ECU a little insurance.
Houston got on the board first with a Joe Davis solo home run in the first inning. After that, Jake Kuchmaner locked in and managed to go 5.1 innings while only allowing the one run. The bullpen more than picked up the slack from there, with Evan Voliva and Alec Burleson combining for 3.2 innings of scoreless relief. Voliva got the win in 1.1 innings while Burleson got the save in 2.1 innings.
ECU outfielder Bryant Packard did not start the second game after being replaced by a pinch runner in the first game. Packard eventually entered as a pinch hitter and was intentionally walked in the seventh inning.
ECU won the first game of the doubleheader in dominating fashion, 15-3.
ECU gets the series win by sweeping the doubleheader. ECU has swept all three doubleheaders it has played so far this season. ECU’s opening day against Radford turned into a doubleheader. Its next series against Monmouth featured a Saturday doubleheader and then there was Saturday’s doubleheader in Houston.
ECU already has another one scheduled next weekend, on Saturday against No. 1 UCLA. First ECU will have to travel to Wilmington to take on UNCW Tuesday evening at 6 p.m. ECU won 5-4 in Wilmington a year ago. The Pirates had to reschedule its home game against the Seahawks earlier in the season to Apr. 23.