ECU baseball team rallies again

By News-Argus Staff
Published in Sports on April 23, 2006 2:17 AM

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GREENVILLE -- Ryan Tousley's two-run double to left field gave East Carolina its second consecutive come-from-behind win as the Pirates defeated Marshall 10-9 Saturday night at Clark-LeClair Stadium.

Trailing 9-7 with two outs in the ninth, the Pirates (27-14, 6-5) got four consecutive hits from Dale Mollenhauer, Brandon Henderson, Stephen Batts and Tousley to claim its sixth Conference USA win of the season. Batts supplied the game-tying run with a single to left that scored Mollenhauer.

Kevin Rhodes picked up his third win of the season after facing just one batter in the top of the ninth. Dustin Sasser worked 62/3 innings for the Pirates allowing three runs, two earned, on six hits while striking out three and walking one. Josh Dowdy and Shane Mathews both made relief appearances pitching a total of two innings and giving up six runs before Rhodes closed the game.

ECU 10, Marshall 9

GREENVILLE -- Jay Mattox's bases-loaded infield single in the bottom of the ninth scored Brandon Henderson to give East Carolina a 10-9 come from behind win against Marshall Friday night in Conference USA play at Clark-LeClair Stadium.

Henderson, who had the first Pirate five-hit game since Jaime Paige on May 9, 2004 against Saint Louis, singled in Drew Schieber to tie the game at nine with one out. Stephen Batts singled through the right side advancing Henderson to third to set up the winning run.

ECU hurler Jason Neitz recorded his second win of the season after tossing 11/3 innings of scoreless relief allowing just one hit and striking out two. Starter T.J. Hose had a rough outing as he lasted just 12/3 innings giving up seven runs on five hits. Scott Andrews and Chris Powell combined to pitch six innings of relief, while allowing two runs and striking out two.

Nick Wolle suffered the loss for Marshall and fell to 0-4 on the season. He allowed two runs on 2/3 of an inning. Jeremy Slone, the Herd starter gave up seven runs on 12 hits in 52/3 innings.

Henderson led the Pirates offensively going 5-for-5 from the plate with three RBI and two runs scored. Mattox had his first four-hit game as a Pirate finishing 4-for-6 with a pair of RBI and runs scored. Batts (3-for-5), Adam Witter (2-for-4) and Jake Dean (2-for-4) also collected multiple hits on the night.

For Marshall, Roddy Stieger, Brendan Murphy and Aaron Levinson each collected a pair of hits and scored at least one run, while senior Adam Ptacek drove in four runs.

North Carolina 7, N.C. State 3

RALEIGH -- North Carolina's Andrew Miller turned in a solid effort on the mound while Chad Flack drove in four runs to to lead the Tar Heels to a 7-3 victory over North Carolina State on Friday.

Flack had two doubles for the Tar Heels (32-8), while Miller allowed five hits and three runs in 81/3 innings to stay unbeaten. Miller (9-0) also struck struck out seven batters.

Caleb Mangum and Jon Still combined for four of the five hits for the Wolfpack (31-11). Mangum went 2-for-3 with a walk and one run scored, while Still finished 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Wolfpack starter Andrew Brackman (1-3) took the loss, surrendering four runs in the bottom of the fourth. He was charged with five runs on nine hits in seven innings of work.

Saturday's game between UNC and N.C. State was halted in the top of the 12th inning with the score tied 2-2 due to inclement weather and will resume at noon today at Boshamer Stadium. The final game of the series will start at 1:30 p.m. as scheduled.

Wake Forest 4, Maryland 3

WINSTON-SALEM -- Reliever Josh Ellis had seven strikeouts and retired nine straight batters over 32/3 hitless innings to help Wake Forest edge past Maryland 4-3 on Saturday.

Ben Hunter replaced Ellis (4-3) with one out in the ninth to post his 12th save for the Demon Deacons (30-13, 14-6 Atlantic Coast Conference).

Evan Ocheltree went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, Allan Dykstra had a two-run double and Tyler Smith hit a two-run single to lead Wake Forest.

Ben Pfinsgraff (2-5) allowed seven hits and four earned runs and had six strikeouts and two walks over eight innings to get the loss. Jordan Wilson led off the fourth inning with a solo home run and Dan Melvin hit a two-run homer in the top of the fifth for Maryland (17-25 and 6-17).

Wake Forest 15, Maryland 4

WINSTON-SALEM -- Designated hitter Brendan Enick went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and two RBIs to lead Wake Forest to a 15-4 victory over a Maryland in a game in which the Demon Deacons scored 11 runs in one inning on Friday.

With the game tied at 4-4, Wake Forest got 11 runs in the eighth inning to claim the victory.

Andy Goff, Evan Ocheltree and Enick all got two-run singles, while Dustin Hood had an RBI single. Tyler Smith's three-run home gave Wake Forest a 14-4 lead.

Ocheltree and Goff each had three hits and three RBIs.