ECU Splits Opening Day Doubleheader Against George Mason
GREENVILLE, N.C. – East Carolina baseball opened its 2025 season with a doubleheader against George Mason at Clark-LeClair Stadium, bouncing back from a Game 1 loss with a clutch late-inning comeback in Game 2. The Pirates dropped the first game 7-3, marking their first season-opening loss since 2022, but responded in the nightcap with a dramatic 4-2 victory, capped by a three-run homer from Dixon Williams in the seventh inning.
Game 1: Late Inning Struggles Cost Pirates in 7-3 Loss
Ethan Norby (0-1) took the ball for the season opener and turned in a solid start, but a sixth-inning collapse proved costly for ECU.
Early Moments and Missed Chances
Norby kept the Patriots off the board early, escaping a first-inning jam with a 5-6-3 double play. Meanwhile, freshman Braden Burress wasted no time making his presence felt in his collegiate debut, picking up his first career hit in his first at-bat and swiping second base.
George Mason struck first in the third, pushing across a run on a groundout to third base, but ECU responded immediately. Austin Irby drew a bases-loaded walk, tying the game at 1-1. However, the Pirates couldn’t capitalize further, stranding runners in key situations.
Sixth-Inning Collapse Turns Game
After cruising through five innings, Norby ran into trouble in the sixth. Jake Butler launched a solo home run, putting George Mason up 2-1. After an RBI single extended the lead, ECU turned to Ethan Young in relief, but the Patriots kept the momentum rolling. A three-run homer broke the game open, putting ECU in a 6-1 hole.
The Pirates' offense struggled to respond, going down in order in the bottom of the sixth and leaving another runner stranded in the seventh.
Williams Provides a Late Spark, But Not Enough
ECU finally showed some life in the bottom of the eighth when Dixon Williams crushed a two-run home run to left field, cutting the deficit to 7-3. Burress added his second hit of the game, but the Pirates couldn’t muster any more offense, going down in order in the ninth.
Final Score: George Mason 7, ECU 3
Key Performances (Game 1)
Ethan Norby (L, 0-1) – 5.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 6 K
Dixon Williams – 2-run HR in the 8th
Braden Burress – 2-for-4, 1 SB
Lance Williams – 3.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R
Game 2: Pirates Rally Behind Williams' Big Blast to Earn 4-2 Victory
Game 2 saw ECU flip the script, relying on strong pitching and a clutch seventh-inning rally to salvage a split.
Zayac Holds Strong Early
Freshman Bradley Zayac made his first collegiate start, quickly settling in after a 4-6-3 double play ended the first inning. Zayac was in control through three innings, retiring George Mason in order in the second and third while recording his first career strikeout.
Colby Wallace provided an early jolt in the bottom of the third, launching his first career home run to put ECU on top 1-0. Austin Irby followed with a single, but the Pirates left him stranded.
George Mason Answers in the Fourth
The Patriots finally broke through in the fourth, starting with a leadoff double and a walk. A sacrifice fly to right field tied the game at 1-1, and a well-placed bunt gave George Mason a 2-1 lead.
Zayac’s day ended after 3.1 innings (1 H, 2 R, 1 K), with Brad Pruett coming in to minimize the damage. The right-hander responded in a big way, striking out the final batter of the inning.
Pruett Dominates in Relief
From there, Pruett took over, striking out the side in both the fifth and sixth innings, keeping ECU within striking distance. His final line: 3.1 innings, 2 H, 0 R, 9 K—a dominant effort that set the stage for the Pirates’ comeback.
Dixon Williams Delivers the Big Swing
Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the seventh, ECU finally broke through. Walker Barron was hit by a pitch, and Alex Peltier followed with an infield single, setting the table. Then, Dixon Williams crushed a three-run bomb to dead center field, igniting the Clark-LeClair crowd and giving ECU a 4-2 lead.
Wallace and White Shut the Door
After Jackson DiLorenzo worked out of trouble in the seventh, Colby Wallace took the mound in the eighth with the bases loaded. Wallace delivered, striking out a batter and inducing a weak groundout to escape the jam.
In the ninth, Ian White Jr. made his ECU debut, allowing an unearned run but slamming the door to secure the Pirates’ first win of the season.
Final Score: ECU 4, George Mason 2
Key Performances (Game 2)
Dixon Williams – 1-for-3, 3-run HR (game-winning hit)
Brad Pruett – 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 9 K
Colby Wallace – 1.0 IP, 1 K, clutch 8th-inning escape
Bradley Zayac – 3.1 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 1 K
Up Next for the Pirates
ECU will look to win the series in the rubber match on Saturday at 2 p.m. as they take on George Mason in the series finale. All eyes will be on 17-year-old freshman Sean Jenkins, a highly touted prospect, as he makes his ECU debut on the mound.