Spring Break
Diamond Bucs stomp past 'Herd in Charleston
Staff Reports
Issue date: 3/31/09 Section: Sports
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Ryan Wood's RBI single up the middle, capped off a two-run sixth inning and lifted No. 19 ECU to a 7-6 win over Marshall in game one of a doubleheader Friday afternoon in Conference USA play at the Appalachian Power Park.
In the seventh inning, ECU's Bailey Daniels struck out the side after entering the contest with the bases loaded and no outs. The Wanchese, N.C. native caught Brandon Casamassima looking and got both Kevin Shackleford and Kenny Socorro to swing at pitches outside the box. After giving up a solo home run to Victor Gomez in the eighth, Seth Simmons came on to close out the ninth for his third save of the season. Starter Chris Heston notched his fourth win of the season after allowing five runs (four earned) on nine hits in six innings of work with four punch outs and a walk.
Dustin Harrington put the Pirates up 2-0 early in the second inning with his second home run of the season. Devin Harris, who extended his current hitting streak to nine games, singled to left to start the frame then touched home on Harrington's two-run shot to left-center.
Casamassima put the Herd up 4-2 in the fourth thanks to a two-run shot to left field. Meeks opened the frame with a single to right then touched home on Casamassima's fourth homer of the year.
Stephen Batts' three-run home run in the fifth gave the Pirates a 5-4 lead. Whitehead laced a single up the middle; his second of the day, then took second on a wild pitch and third on a passed ball. Wood put runners on the corners with his 21st free pass of the season before Batts' 23rd career home run.
ECU added a pair of insurance runs in the sixth to take a 7-4 lead. Harrington led off with a walk then took third on Jared Avchen's shot to right-center that first looked to be a home run, but was ruled a double, putting runners at second and third with no outs. Cam Freeman reached on a fielder's choice that saw Harrington out at home on a sac bunt just before Avchen scored on a throwing error by Shackelford on Freeman's stolen base attempt for the first run of the frame. Wood picked up his 21st RBI of the season on a single up the middle that scored Freeman from second.
Game 2:
After an official 35-minute rain delay and a full 24 hours away from the ballpark, No. 19 ECU took game two and a Conference USA series win over Marshall with a 5-1 victory of a suspended doubleheader at Appalachian Power Park Sunday morning.
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