By By KEVIN TRAVIS
Sports Editor
GREENVILLE — Keith LeClair most certainly would be proud.
The No. 11 East Carolina Pirates won their second game in as many days at the 7th annual Keith LeClair Classic, downing West Virginia 6-3 in front of 3,561 fans Saturday afternoon at Clark-LeClair Stadium. They’ll look for the sweep today against Western Carolina.
LeClair, who courageously battled ALS before succumbing to the disease, was a former coaching great at ECU and Western Carolina.
Zach Woods (2-0) was splendid in relief for the Pirates. The junior came on after starter Brad Mincey left with forearm stiffness in the fourth.
After escaping a bases-loaded jam in the third, Woods faced just 20 batters over the next six innings.
Woods fanned a career-high 11 batters while scattering three hits and walking one in seven innings of work.
Godwin was thrilled to get such a solid performance out of Woods.
The ECU (6-3) offense gave Woods plenty of support, banging out 11 hits and scoring at least one run in each of the first four innings.
Leadoff batter Trent Whitehead set the tone nicely for the Pirates. The junior and former Washington Pam Pack star had two hits, scored twice, drove in a run and stole his first base of the season.
Whitehead singled to lead off the first for the Pirates.
John Wooten and Cam Freeman had a pair of hits and drove in two. Dustin Harrington had two hits and an RBI.
The Pirates jumped on West Virginia starter Eric Hinkle (0-1) early, scoring two runs in the first inning. Whitehead led off by poking a single into left. Harrington singled to right, extending his hitting streak to 17 games, and Kyle Roller was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Wooten blooped a single into left, scoring a pair of runs.
The Mountaineers (2-7) responded with three runs in the second. Mark Dvoroznak hit an RBI double, while Brady Wilson and Jedd Gyorko had run-scoring singles for a 3-2 lead.
Mincey was lifted shortly after that because of forearm stiffness. He allowed the three runs on six hits in two innings.
ECU tied the game in the bottom half. Devin Harris beat out an infield hit and Zach Wright drew a walk. The two runners moved up after a balk. Whitehead’s groundout scored Harris to even the game at 3-3.
After Mincey walked the leadoff batter in the third, he was lifted for Woods. The reliever gave up a single and walk to load the bases, but got out of the jam by getting a groundout.
Freeman’s two-run single in the bottom of the third gave the Pirates a 5-3 lead. Wooten and Corey Thompson singled ahead of Freeman.
ECU tacked on another run and chased Hinkle (6 runs on 9 hits in 3 2/3 innings) in the fourth. Whitehead singled up the middle and then stole his first base of the season. The junior leadoff batter raced home on Harrington’s double into left for a 6-3 advantage.
West Virginia’s Andy Altemus was solid in relief, allowing just two hits in 4 1/3 innings.
The Pirates close out the tournament today. Seth Maness (0-2, 6.30 ERA) gets the nod against the Catamounts (8-1). Lefty Vance Chavis (2-0, 3.00 ERA) will start for Western Carolina.
Keith LeClair Classic
Friday’s Games
Western Carolina 1, West Virginia 0
ECU 7, Illinois 5
Saturday’s Games
Western Carolina 4, Illinois 2
ECU 6, West Virginia 3
Sunday’s Games
10 a.m. – West Virginia vs. Illinois
2 p.m. – ECU vs. Western Carolina