By By KEVIN TRAVIS, Sports Editor
GREENVILLE — East Carolina enjoyed a perfect run at the fifth annual Keith LeClair Classic.
In running their winning streak to seven straight, the Pirates knocked off the Georgia Southern Eagles, 9-3, on a sunny Sunday afternoon at Clark-LeClair Stadium.
ECU starter Justin Bristow (2-0) struck out a career-high seven batters while recording his second straight win. The 6-4, 213-pound junior allowed two runs (one earned) on just four hits in seven innings of work.
Former Washington Pam Pack star Trent Whitehead, Jamie Ray and Dustin Harrington each banged out two hits for the Pirates (8-4).
Phillip Porter led the Eagles (6-6) with a pair of hits.
The Pirates grabbed a 2-0 lead in the second on a clutch two-out hit by Ray. Brandon Henderson led off with a double, while Austin Homan walked and Harrington was plunked to load the bases. Ray blooped a 3-2 pitch into shallow left just beyond the glove of shortstop Brian Pierce, which allowed two runners to score.
Jeremy Beckham singled with one out in the top of the third inning. Beckham eventually scored on an errant throw by catcher Corey Kemp when Beckham was stealing third, pulling the Eagles within 2-1.
Beckham’s single ended a string of 8 1/3 innings of hitless ball thrown by Bristow dating back to his two-hit, complete-game shutout against Monmouth in his previous start. One inning earlier, Bristow’s string of 22 consecutive outs was snapped when he beaned Jeremiah Parker with two outs.
ECU pushed its lead to 5-1 with three runs in the bottom of the third, coming off just one hit. Ryan Wood scored on the second of two Georgia Southern errors, Kemp ripped an RBI double and Austin Homan’s sac fly produced the three runs.
Phillip Porter’s RBI single in the fifth, which glanced off Wood’s glove deep in the hole at shortstop, made it 5-2.
The Pirates got that run back in the bottom half. Wood led off with a double and eventually touched home on a sac fly by Henderson. That helped end the day for Georgia Southern starter Andy Moye (2-1), who gave up six runs (four earned) on four hits.
ECU tacked on two insurance runs in the seventh to take an 8-2 lead. Homan’s first hit as a Pirate scored one run, while Harrington added an RBI single.
Kyle Blackburn’s RBI double off ECU reliever Brad Mincey pulled the Eagles within 8-3 in the eighth.
ECU capped the scoring with a run in the bottom of the inning. Whitehead led off with a single, stole second and scored on a sac fly by Harrison Eldridge.
Whitehead started in left field for the Pirates. The freshman went 2-for-4 with a stolen base. Whitehead record his first steal as a Pirate with a swipe of second in the eighth inning.
In the two-day tournament, Whitehead went 4-for-12 with a home run, three RBI, three runs and one stolen base.
ECU has a busy week, starting with Tuesday's home game at 3 p.m. against VCU. Sthil Sowers will start for the Pirates.
The Pirates play host to Quinnipiac on Thursday before entertaining Rhode Island in a three-game home series beginning Friday.
Georgia Southern 001 010 010 - 3 6 2
East Carolina 023 010 21x - 9 11 1
WP: Justin Bristow (2-0); LP: Andy Moye (2-1)
Hitters: GS - Phillip Porter 2-4 (2B, RBI), Jeremiah Parker 1-3 (2B), Jeremy Beckham 1-3, Kyle Blackburn 1-4 (2B, RBI), Brian Pierce 1-4; ECU - Dustin Harrington 2-3 (RBI), Jamie Ray 2-4 (2 RBI), Trent Whitehead 2-4, Austin Homan 1-2 (2 RBI), Brandon Henderson 1-2 (2B, RBI), Ryan Wood 1-3 (2B), Stephen Batts 1-3, Corey Kemp 1-4 (2B, RBI).
Keith LeClair Classic
Saturday's Games
Georgia Southern 12, Michigan 3
East Carolina 10, Pittsburgh 5
East Carolina 6, Michigan 5
Georgia Southern 3, Pittsburgh 2 (10)
Sunday's Games
Michigan 7, Pittsburgh 0
East Carolina 9, Georgia Southern 3