Relive ECU baseball's first victory over NC State in Raleigh since 2009

#12 East Carolina vs. #19 NC State 4/2/24 - Stream the Game Live - Watch ESPN 

East Carolina University’s baseball team (21-7, 4-2 American Athletic Conference) headed up to Raleigh, North Carolina, for a highly anticipated ranked matchup against in-state rival North Carolina State University (18-8, 8-4 Atlantic Coast Conference).

Headed into Tuesday’s matchup, the Pirates hadn’t won in Raleigh in over 15 years, last winning there on April 15, 2009. But that streak was snapped by a healthy margin yesterday, as the Pirates struck early and often en-route to a 12-4 victory.

The game marked ECU’s third straight midweek road win - a healthy improvement from last season, when the Pirates struggled in midweeks at times early in the year. It was also ECU’s third win over a ranked opponent this year, bringing their record to 3-1 against Top 25 teams.

ECU got on the board early in the second inning, thanks to a two-run single from sophomore infielder Dixon Williams, who had one of his best games of the season. Williams went 2-4 with a double and a walk, scoring one run and knocking in two. He also made a Sportscenter-worthy sliding catch in the outfield to rob former Pirate Alec Makarewicz of a run-scoring base hit.

The Pirates scored two more in the third, thanks to a sac bunt and a fielding error from NC State’s shortstop. That error would be the first of three Wolfpack errors made, as both teams combined for five total. ECU added some well-needed insurance in the sixth inning, thanks to a series of two-out base hits.

In that inning, ECU’s first two batters were retired by NC State, before Williams laced a double down the left field line for his second hit of the night. He would come in to score on NC State’s second error of the game, which put a runner on for senior slugger Carter Cunningham. Cunningham then came through with a two-run homer on the first pitch, extending the lead to 7-0 on a shot to the scoreboard.

ECU scored two more in the seventh, thanks to an RBI groundout and a solo home run from senior catcher Justin Wilcoxen. Senior second baseman Jacob Starling led off the inning by getting plunked, before stealing second and coming in to score. In the bottom half, NC State would score two runs of their own, both unearned, on an ECU error and an RBI groundout.

The Pirates took those runs right back in the top of the eighth, scoring three runs. A one-out walk and a single put two runners on, and a pickoff error from NC State’s catcher plated a run. A four pitch walk put runners on the corners for Starling, prompting a pitching change. Starling greeted the new Wolfpack arm with a two-run double to put ECU up 12-2.

It was a solid night for juniors Ryan McCrystal and Jacob Jenkins-Cowart, with each extending their hit streaks to nine and eight games, respectively. McCrystal reached base twice, picking up an RBI, while Jenkins-Cowart went 2-4 with two walks and a run scored.

Starting pitcher Aaron Groller, a grad transfer out of Seton Hall, had his longest outing of the year, going three scoreless innings before being removed with a 4-0 lead. In what was his first start of the season, Groller struck out three batters, walked none, and allowed only one baserunner.

Senior righty Danny Beal took over for Groller, pitching 2.1 scoreless innings and striking out two. Beal earned the win, moving to 3-1 on the year. Junior righthander Wyatt Lunsford-Shenkman turned in yet another scoreless outing, lowering his ERA to 0.90, which is good for second in all of Division I baseball. He struck out two, giving up only two baserunners. Junior righty Jake Hunter closed the game out in the ninth.

The combination of Groller, Beal, Lunsford-Shenkman, Hunter and sophomore lefty Erik Ritchie combined to give up only five hits to a loaded NC State offense.

Meanwhile, ECU forced NC State to use seven different pitchers, with four of them ending the night with ERAs in the double digits. Wolfpack starter Ryan Marohn was handed his first loss of the season, and every single Wolfpack arm gave up at least one baserunner. The Pirates tallied 13 hits, with five different batters chipping in with multiple hits. They’re now 11-2 in games where they have double-digit hits.

Cunningham was 3-5 with a home run and three runs scored. Williams and Starling each picked up two RBI.

ECU is back in action this weekend down in Boca Raton, Florida, as they take on new AAC opponent Florida Atlantic University (17-9, 4-2 AAC). First pitch is set for 6 PM from FAU Baseball Stadium.