Pirates Drop Series to Charlotte with 3–2 Loss on Saturday
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The slide continues for East Carolina baseball.
The Pirates dropped their sixth straight game, their longest losing streak since 2017 with a 3–2 loss to Charlotte on Saturday afternoon at the 49ers’ home field. The result clinched a second consecutive conference series loss for ECU and puts them one loss away from back-to-back AAC sweeps.
With the defeat, ECU falls to 20–16 overall and 6–5 in American Athletic Conference play.
Herring Sparks Life, but Missed Execution Halts Rally
After being held scoreless through five innings, East Carolina finally broke through in the sixth. Jack Herring delivered the big hit, drilling a two-run double to right-center to bring home Braden Burress and Colby Wallace, cutting Charlotte’s lead to 3–2.
The Pirates had momentum, with runners on the corners and just one out. But the rally fizzled. After a strikeout for the first out, Walker Barron attempted a squeeze bunt — but popped it up for the second out, failing to bring home the tying run from third. A groundout followed to end the inning with two stranded, leaving a golden chance wasted.
Burress and Wallace each had a hit and scored a run. Herring’s double was ECU’s only extra-base hit. The Pirates finished with just five hits total, striking out nine times and leaving seven runners on base in another frustrating offensive performance.
Fifth-Inning Collapse Costs Pruett
Brad Pruett started strong but couldn’t escape trouble in the fifth. Charlotte plated all three of its runs in the frame, aided by a walk, hit-by-pitch, and well-placed contact.
Pruett's final line: 4.1 innings, 3 hits, 3 earned runs, 2 walks, 2 strikeouts. He took the loss and now sits at 2–3 on the year.
Young Shines Out of the Bullpen
Ethan Young kept the Pirates alive with another stellar outing in relief. The sophomore tossed 3.2 scoreless innings, striking out six and allowing only two hits. He lowered his season ERA to 2.91 and gave ECU a chance to stay in the game late — a trend that continues even as the team struggles around him.
Ninth-Inning Rally Ends in Crushing Fashion
ECU threatened again in the ninth, trying to tie or take the lead. Michael Kalinich and Austin Irby both drew walks, and a wild pitch moved both into scoring position with one out.
But after a strikeout by Davin Whitaker for the one out, Roger Vergara lined a pitch to the shortstop — who made the catch and stepped on second for an unassisted double play, ending the game and the series in gut-wrenching fashion.
What’s Next
East Carolina (20–16, 6–5 AAC) will try to avoid being swept in back-to-back conference series vs Charlotte on Sunday at 1 p.m.
With the losing streak at six and the postseason outlook darkening, Sunday becomes as close to a must-win as it gets for the Pirates.