East Carolina suffered a severe blow on Friday as it fell 2-0 to St. Johns in the first round of the Charlottesville Regional on Friday.

The Pirates (39-20, Conference USA) were the No. 2 seed in the region behind No. 1 Virginia, but could not muster runs against the third-seeded Red Storm (36-20, Big East) in the first game of the double-elimination tournament.

St. Johns, who was playing the role of the visitor, rallied for one run in the top of the third thanks to a Jimmy Brennan RBI and took a 2-0 lead the next inning when Kevin Grove drove in a run.

Those would be the only two runs of the game that Pirates starter Michael Wright would allow.

Wright, a junior, gave up seven hits in eight innings and struck out five while walking four.

St. Johns got a fantastic performance from its starter Sean Hagan who scattered nine hits in 7 1/3 innings and fanned six while walking two batters.

The Pirates ended the game with nine hits and were led by freshmen Ben Fultz and Chase McDonald who each went 2-for-4.

Brennan paced the Storm by going 3-for-5 with an RBI and was the only player on his team to have more than one hit.

The Pirates will move on to play the loser of the No. 4 Navy-No. 1 Virginia contest today.