ECU rallies to beat Campbell; holds UNCW scoreless

The ECU baseball team handled two non-conference opponents this week as it shut down UNCW 3-0 and came from behind to beat Campbell 10-9.

Back at home after Wednesday's visit to Campbell, the Pirate hurlers left the Seahawks hatching goose eggs all night as they shut out UNCW 3-0. Starter Brad Mincey and the ECU bullpen combined for 10 strikeouts and allowed no runs.

"It's a good midweek win against a very good midweek opponent," said ECU head coach Billy Godwin.

The Pirates held the lead from the start of the game with three one-run innings, but the true testament of the game was ECU's impressive pitching staff.

"You're not going to come out everyday and score 15 runs," said designated hitter Kyle Roller. "That's baseball."

Wilmington's best shot at a comeback came in the sixth inning when the Seahawks threatened with a dangerous scoring opportunity. Bases loaded and one out, pinch hitter Alex Hill walked the plank as lefty Kevin Brandt entered the game and struck him out looking.

Brandt said he was looking to "just have fun" after he entered with the bases loaded and one out. And that's exactly what he did.

ECU cancelled out the threat with a fielder's choice to second base and left the inning unscathed.

Midway through the match, the Pirates tacked on their final run in the bottom of the fifth as Trent Whitehead turned on the jets and scored on a Stephen Batts fielder's choice to increase the lead to 3-0.

While holding the Seahawks scoreless, ECU increased its lead with an RBI single from Devin Harris in the bottom of the fourth. Roller started off the inning with a standup double all the way to the right field corner and Harris brought him home to give the Diamond Bucs the 2-0 lead.

The Pirates opened up the scoring in the bottom of the first when Rolle,r with runners on first and second, zipped one through the right side of the infield to score Ryan Wood.

Low scoring games have not been the preferred method of attack for an ECU offense that has outscored its last seven opponents 103-26, Wednesday night was only the second time the Pirates have been out-hit this season.

"We won in a very different fashion tonight," said Godwin. "I was really proud of our pitching staff."

On Tuesday night in Buies Creek, ECU pulled out a last inning-win over Campbell (11-10) with a classic ninth inning two-out rally, 10-9.

Trailing by two going into the last frame, the Pirates flexed their offensive muscle once again. National standout Roller, personified clutch with his two-out, two-run RBI single that poked through the left side of the field to score Wood and Batts.

Seth Simmons held down the win for the Pirates, retiring the side in the ninth to deal the Camels their final blow.

Roller has been making waves in the national headlines. The Rockingham native is hitting .414 with eight homers and 34 runs-batted in. He has been named Conference USA and National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association's Hitter-of-the-Week, and the Central Regional Player-of-the-Week by Collegebaseinsider.com.

"When [Roller] defends the outside part of the plate, he's potent," said Godwin.

The Pirates, who are 18-4 overall and on an eight-game win streak, will return to conference action this weekend with a three-game series against Marshall in Charleston, W.Va.

This writer can be contacted at sports@theeastcarolinian.com.