By MALCOLM GRAY
ECU Athletic Media Relations

 

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Evan Kruczynski and Joe Ingle combined to allow just one run and strike out 10 batters, while the Pirates made the most of their five hits to claim a 3-1 win over Tulane and advance to the semifinal round of the 2015 American Athletic Conference Baseball Championship Thursday at Bright House Field.

East Carolina, the No. 2 seed in the eight-team tournament, stands at 2-0 in the double-elimination bracket and will face either Tulane or UConn Saturday at 1 p.m. for a trip to Sunday’s championship game. The Pirates need just one win to reach Sunday’s final, while No. 3-seeded Tulane or No. 6 seed UConn would have to beat East Carolina twice to advance.

Kruczynski scattered three hits and allowed just one unearned run with seven strikeouts to improve to 8-4 on the year. Ingle registered his seventh save of the season after he worked 2.2 innings of shutout relief with three strikeouts.

The Pirates broke a one-all tie in the bottom of the fifth inning when Reid Love’s bases-loaded fly ball to center field allowed Garrett Brooks to score from third.

Tulane threatened to tie it in the top of the eighth inning, but the Pirate outfield came up with two big plays to preserve the lead. Brooks gunned down pinch-runner Nico Symington from center on a close play at the plate for the first out, and leftfielder Luke Lowery nailed Garrett Deschamp at the plate for the third out to keep the score at 2-1.

Brooks drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the eighth to give the Pirates a 3-1 cushion and Ingle retired the side in order in the top of the ninth to secure the win.

Charlie Yorgen had two of ECU’s five hits as the Pirates improved to 38-20 with the win.

Tulane starter Corey Merrell (4-6) took the loss after he allowed two runs — both unearned — and three hits in four innings of work. The Green Wave fell to 34-22 on the year.