Pirates Drop Series Opener to Tulane, 20-5
Rough First Inning Sets the Tone
East Carolina couldn’t climb out of an early hole Friday night, falling 20-5 to Tulane at Clark-LeClair Stadium.
The Green Wave jumped out immediately, scoring nine runs in the top of the first inning and riding that momentum the rest of the way. It marked the first time ECU had allowed 20 runs in a game since 2010, when the Pirates gave up 20 to Rice.
Starter Brad Pruett (3-4) struggled to find any rhythm, recording just two outs before exiting. ECU was forced to lean heavily on its bullpen early, using six additional arms to get through the game.
"We got our tail kicked," head coach Cliff Godwin said. "It's tough to win a game when you give up nine runs in the first inning."
Pirates Save Arms for the Weekend
After getting down big early, Godwin and the coaching staff made a clear decision to save their top bullpen options for the rest of the series.
"We didn't pitch our best pitchers after the first," Godwin said. "Norby came in and we'll be fine tomorrow. (Ethan) Young is going to start tomorrow. We've got Jake Hunter, Colby Wallace, we've got Norby. We're not going to let our best pitchers go out there when we're down 9-0."
Top reliever Ethan Young will make his first start of the season on Saturday as the Pirates look to even the series.
Bright Spot: Power Surge in the Fifth
Despite the rough start, ECU showed some fight at the plate in the bottom of the fifth.
Nick Parham broke up the shutout with a solo home run to right-center, putting the Pirates on the board. Moments later, Dixon Williams launched a three-run shot to right-center, scoring Colby Wallace and Drew Downs. Micheal Kalinich capped the rally by homering down the right-field line.
Jack Herring led ECU at the plate, finishing 2-for-2 on the night, while Ryley Johnson and Dixon Williams each added hits.
What’s Next
East Carolina will look to bounce back Saturday afternoon, with Ethan Young getting the start and plenty of fresh arms ready behind him. First pitch on Saturday is set for 4 p.m. ET inside Clark-LeClair Stadium.