GREENVILLE — Timely hitting and superb pitching helped No. 22 East Carolina (3-0) to a doubleheader sweep against Milwaukee (0-3) Saturday afternoon at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium. The Pirates, who claimed their second-straight opening season series sweep, walked away with a win in game one, 16-1, and used a four-run seventh taking game two, 6-3.
Trailing 3-1 going to the seventh frame in game two, Tim Younger and Corey Thompson each recorded two-RBI base hits putting ECU ahead 5-1, a lead they would not relinquish. John Wooten started the rally with an opening frame walk off newly entered Panther pitcher Jordan Guth, which was followed by an infield single by Jay Cannon. After Drew Reynolds executed a sac bunt back to the pitcher that moved both runners into scoring position, Tim Younger singled to left field tying the game at three.
The inning continued when Jack Reinheimer was hit by a pitch and two batters later Thompson stroked a two-out double down the right field line clearing the bases and giving ECU a four-run lead, 5-1.
ECU would tack on another run in the eighth on Cannon’s sac fly to left field that plated Bryan Bass, who entered the game for Chase McDonald after he singled to right to start the stanza.
Tyler Joyner (1-0), who made his first appearance on the mound in a Pirate uniform since 2010, recorded the win after tossing 4 2/3 scoreless innings in relief, where he allowed one hit and struck out four. Starter Austin Chrismon was touched for three runs (one earned) on five this with four punch outs in 3 1/3 frames. Sophomore Drew Reynolds notched his second save on the weekend working a scoreless ninth with a pair of strikeouts.
Guth (0-1) suffered the loss giving up five runs (four earned) on four hits in two innings. Panther starter Cale Tassi was impressive in his start holding ECU to just one run on six hits in six frames.
Milwaukee jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the fourth inning behind a pair of hits and an ECU error. Paul Hoenecke reached on a fielding error by Jack Reinheimer and advanced to third on Will Fadness’ first hit of the series putting runners on the corner. Sam Koenig followed with an infield single that scored Hoenecke before Fadness crossed home on Nick Lingvay’s groundout to short. The final run of the stanza came on another groundout, this time off the bat of Mitch Ghelfi pushing across Koening.
Wooten’s solo home run to start the fifth inning pulled ECU within two, 3-1.
In the first game of the doubleheader, Jharel Cotton (1-0) posted his first win in a Pirate uniform tossing six strong innings where he allowed one run (earned) on three hits with four strikeouts. The freshman trio of Jeff Hoffman (strikeout), Tyler Bolton (walk) and Deshorn Lake each tossed scoreless innings of relief helping the Pirates claim a series win over the Panthers.
McDonald ignited the Pirates offense in the second inning leading off the frame with a solo shot to right field before Reinheimer and Philip Clark capped the inning with RBI for a 3-0 advantage.
Derek Peake registered the first of three hits for Milwaukee in the top of the third, doubling home Phil Striggow for the Panthers lone run, cutting the Pirates lead to 3-1.
After Ben Fultz (fourth inning) and Jay Cannon (fifth inning) blasted home runs to give ECU a 5-1 lead, the Pirates exploded for seven runs in the sixth catapulting their lead to a 12-1. During the sixth, the Pirates got RBI singles from McDonald and Clark, a two-RBI single from Cannon and used three bases loaded walks to put the game out of reach.
The Pirates added three runs in the seventh and one in the eighth making the score 16-1.
Mike Schneider (0-1) was saddled with the loss giving up five runs (all earned) on six hits with four walks and five strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. The Panthers bullpen didn’t fare much better over the final 3 1/3 frames as they were tagged with 11 runs on 11 hits and seven walks.
The Pirates will hit the road for the first time of the 2012 season when they travel to former Colonial Athletic Association foe Old Dominion on Wednesday, Feb. 22. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m.