Diamond Bucs stomp past 'Herd in Charleston

Game 1:

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.

Knotted at one heading into the bottom of the seventh, ECU's Brad Mincey took the mound and retired the side just before Devin Harris blooped a game-winning single with two outs in the eighth to push across Ryan Wood for a 2-1 lead.

Brad Mincey (5-1) notched his fifth win of the season after working three scoreless innings where he fanned three and walked one in his eighth relief appearance of the season. Starter Seth Maness allowed one run on five hits with four strikeouts in six innings of work.

Trailing 1-0 in the seventh, sophomore Austin Homan ripped a two-out double off the left field wall to score Jared Avchen from first base, knotting the game at one each. Avchen recorded his third hit of the game; a single through the right side, with two outs and came around to touch home on Homan's 10th RBI of the season.

ECU pushed across three insurance runs in the ninth to take a 5-1 lead. Wood plated the first run of the frame when Cam Freeman scored from second after doubling down the right field line with one out. Trent Whitehead followed with a walk then moved to third on Wood's at-bat. Stephen Batts loaded the bases when he drew a free pass and Kyle Roller drove in the second run of the inning after being plunked by an Austin Coan pitch. The final run of the frame came on Drew Schieber's fielder's choice that scored Wood.

Game 3:

Thor Meeks' three-run home run highlighted a five-run fourth inning as Marshall took game three of the Conference USA series from No. 19 ECU, 6-2 at the Appalachian Power Park Sunday afternoon.

Kevin Brandt (4-1) suffered his first loss of the year after making his first career start. The lefty from Fuquay Varina, N.C. allowed six runs (all earned) on six hits with five punch outs and one walk. Bailey Daniels made his 13th appearance of the season out of the bullpen, working three full frames allowing one hit with three strikeouts. Seth Simmons worked a scoreless eighth walking two (one intentional) and striking out one.

ECU drew first blood in the fourth, pushing a pair of runs across in the fourth for an early 2-0 lead. Stephen Batts scored the first run of the game on a Williams wild pitch, which also moved Kyle Roller over to third. Batts drew a leadoff walk and Roller followed when he was plunked by a Williams pitch, putting runners on first and second. After a double steal moved the runners to second and third, Batts touched home for a 1-0 advantage. Dustin Harrington's sac fly to right scored Roller for the second run of the frame.

Meeks broke up Brandt's perfect game in the fourth with a three-run homer that capped off a five-run, winning them a 5-2 lead. Adam Yeager singled to start the inning then stole second before Ben Jurevicius walked. After Brandt fanned Nate Lape, Victor Gomez doubled to right-center, scoring Yeager from second and moving Jurevicius to the hot corner. Josh Valle followed with a single to left-center, pushing across Jurevicius to knot the game at two. After Brandon Casamassima popped out to second, Meeks took a Brandt 1-1 offering over the right field wall.