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East Carolina Baseball: Pirates rout NC State to advance in Regional

By Christian Candeloro

Omaha, NE - JUNE 25: A general view of the College World Series logo at TD Ameritrade Park, prior to game one of the College World Series Championship Series between the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Oregon State Beavers on June 25, 2018 at in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
Omaha, NE - JUNE 25: A general view of the College World Series logo at TD Ameritrade Park, prior to game one of the College World Series Championship Series between the Arkansas Razorbacks and the Oregon State Beavers on June 25, 2018 at in Omaha, Nebraska. (Photo by Peter Aiken/Getty Images) /
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East Carolina routs NC State to survive in the loser’s bracket of the Greenville Regional

East Carolina baseball survived to play another game by defeating the NC State Wolfpack 9-2 in the loser’s bracket elimination game of the Greenville Regional. The Pirates will face the loser of Quinnipiac and Campbell later Sunday night.

Junior left-hander Jake Agnos pitched eight solid innings, shutting down the Wolfpack and striking out nine batters. The Pirates scored six runs in the third and continued to pour on runs throughout the game, including two in the seventh and one in the 8th, never opening the door for a Wolfpack comeback.

Batting Report

The Pirates pushed across nine runs on 11 hits and drew six walks. Junior first baseman Spencer Brickhouse (2-3, one run) and redshirt junior catcher Jake Washer (2-3, two runs, three RBI) led the way for ECU, allowing Agnos to pitch with a massive lead all game.

The Pirates had five hits and a walk in the decisive 3rd inning, with Washer, senior outfielder Bradley Jenkins and senior Brady Lloyd picking up RBIs.

Washer kept up the attack by crushing a two-run home run to right-center field in the 7th inning and first baseman Alec Burleson has two RBI.

The Pirates struck out 14 times, but hit when it mattered. The Pirates went 8-20 with runners on and 5-13 with runners in scoring position.

Pitching Report

Agnos had one of his best outings of the year with the season on the line. The lefty went eight innings, giving up just three hits and made only one mistake all day, a fastball to NC State catcher Patrick Bailey that found its way over the fence.

Agnos struck out nine batters and tied an AAC record with 230 career strikeouts. He ended the day with 127 pitches and willed the Pirates to see another game.

Agnos consistently pounded the strike-zone, throwing 74 strikes and minimizing baserunners all day long. After giving up a home run in the first inning, Agnos again faced two runners on base in the third. He was able to get Bailey to ground into an inning-ending double play that would end the threat. He again faced a runner on third with two outs in the seventh inning, but he was able to get a strikeout to again silence the Wolfpack.

He would appear in the 9th inning to try and close the door but after giving up a solo home-run to the lead-off hitter was pulled from the game.

Redshirt junior Cam Colmore pitched a clean ninth inning to shut the door on the Wolfpack.

Key Moment

In the third inning, the Pirates were able to put up six runs to jump out ahead of the Wolfpack. After a fielder’s choice scored the first run, Washer ripped an RBI single to make it 2-1. The Pirates followed with RBI hits by Jenkins and Lloyd. The inning turned a 1-0 deficit into a 6-1 lead and the Pirates never looked back.

What’s Next

ECU advances to play the loser of Quinnipiac and Campbell for the right to advance to the Regional Championship. ECU will need to win tonight and then win two more games over either Quinnipiac or Campbell to advance to the Super Regional, where it would host if Louisville is upset.

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