NORFOLK, Va. – Parker Lamm’s pinch-hit two-RBI double in the eighth inning broke a two-all tie giving East Carolina (22-15) a 4-1 road win at Old Dominion (17-19) Wednesday afternoon at the Bud Metheny Baseball Complex.

Jimmy Boyd (4-7) picked up the win tossing 2.2 innings of scoreless relief with a pair of strikeouts. Nick Durazo notched his first save of the season recording the final out in the ninth inning and securing a series sweep over the Monarchs. Starter Jacob Wolfe allowed a pair of runs (two earned) on four hits with on punch-out in six innings of work.

Nate Matheson (1-3) took the loss surrendering a pair of runs (both earned), which came on Lamm’s extra-base hit in the eighth. Matheson walked four, struck out one and gave up two hits in 1.2 innings. Joey Benitez also went six frames in his start allowing two runs (both earned) on eight hits with four strikeouts and one walk.

ECU recorded 10 hits on the afternoon getting multiple base knocks from Hunter Allen (3), Reid Love (2) and Charlie Yorgen (2). Lamm drove in a game-high two runs, while Watkins had an RBI single and also pushed across a run on a bases loaded double play which came in the first inning.

P.J. Higgins led the Monarchs with two hits, while Jason McMurray and Connor Myers each had RBI base hits.

UP NEXT:

ECU will wrap-up its four-game road trip with a three-game series at UConn this weekend ( Apr. 17-19 ) in Storrs, Conn. First pitch of the series is set for Friday, Apr. 17 at 3 p.m. (ET) .

How It Happened:

In a game that went back and forth all afternoon, the Pirates took the lead for good in the top half of the eighth on Lamm’s bases loaded pinch-hit double. Watkins walked to start the frames and moved to second on Eric Tyler’s sac bunt to third. Luke Lowery drew an intentional walk putting runners on first and second before Bryce Harman popped up to short for the second out. Jackson Mims loaded the bases with the third walk of the stanza setting up Lamm’s second multi-RBI game of the season, which plated Watkins and Lowery.

ECU struck first off of Benitez when Allen scored on Watkins’ bases loaded double play. Allen collected the first of his three hits to start the inning, which was followed by Yorgen and Love’s consecutive bunt singles.

McMurray’s groundout RBI to third for ODU knotted the game at one-all in the bottom of the second. Derek Francis double to left center and moved to third on Mike Perez’ fly ball to deep right field.

Watkins recaptured the lead for ECU in the top of the sixth on an RBI single to right field plating Allen easily from third. Allen singled up the middle, took second on a wild pitch and landed on third on Yorgen’s groundout to second. Love followed with a walk then joined Allen in scoring position after swiping second. Watkins laced a shot to right pushing across Allen.

ODU wasted little time in tying the game at two when Myers drove in Zach Rutherford on a single through the right side. Rutherford doubled down the left line with one out and moved to third on Taylor Ostrich’s ground out to second.

Game Notes:

ECU recorded five two-out hits (123 on season) which led to a pair of two-out runs (95) … The Pirates left nine runners on base to the Monarchs five … ECU’s 10 hits in the game pushed its season total to 17 double-digit contests … Hunter Allen’s three-hit game pushed his season total to eight on the year and extended his current hit streak to six games … Charlie Yorgen (10) and Reid Love (8) also added to their multi-hit games.

Malcolm W. Gray