GREENVILLE, N.C. – In front of a record crowd of 5,603 fans, No. 8 National Seed East Carolina won its program and American Athletic Conference-best 20th consecutive game in a 4-2 victory over Virginia Saturday night at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium. With the win, the Pirates (44-18) advance to the 2022 Greenville Regional Final Sunday night taking on the winner of Virginia (39-18) and Coastal Carolina (37-19-1) at 6 p.m. (ET).
Josh Moylan's no-doubt two-run home run in the second inning staked ECU to an early 2-0 lead setting the tone for the hard fought contest. With one away and Ben Newton standing on first base, Moylan took a first pitch fast ball from Brian Gursky to right field for his sixth round tripper of the season.
C.J. Mayhue (5-1) earned the win allowing one run (earned) on three hits with a pair of strikeouts over five full innings. Zach Agnos notched his second save of the season giving up a walk and fanning a pair in two-thirds of an inning. Garrett Saylor gave up a run (earned) on a walk with two punch outs in 1.1 innings of relief, while Carter Spivey tossed two scoreless frames on three hits with two strikeouts.
Gursky (7-3) suffered the loss after giving up three runs (two earned) on six hits with a walk and a pair of strikeouts in 5.2 innings. Dylan Bowers (0.1 IP) and Brandon Neeck (2.0 IP, 1 Rm 1 BB, 2 Ks) pitched in relief for the Cavaliers.
In the fifth frame, Virginia finally got on the board thanks to Chris Newell's 12th home run of the year, a solo shot to right-center, cutting the lead in half at 2-1.
The Pirates' answered with one a run in the home half of the fifth thanks to Justin Wilcoxen's solo blast to right-center making it a 3-1 ball game.
Both teams traded runs in the seventh capping the scoring at 4-2. Ethan Anderson plated the run for Virginia on a ground out to second scoring Kyle Teel, who walked with one out and moved to third on Casey Sauke's double down the right field line.
Once again ECU responded playing a little small ball in the home half of the seventh. Alec Makarewicz began the stanza with a walk, took second on a passed ball and moved to third thanks Ryder Giles' pinch-hit sac bunt. Agnos scored Makarewicz on his long fly out to center pushing the lead back to two, 4-2.
In the top of the ninth and with one away and two on, Anderson drew a bases loaded walk before Agnos retired both Newell and Max Cotier on strikeouts (swinging) securing the Pirates third-straight Greenville Regional Final appearance (2019, 2021-22).