Late ECU rally spoils Durham’s gem, Pirates sweep Memphis

Sunday, April 11

Greenville, N.C.

10:30 a.m.

University of Memphis

11-19, 1-7

ECU

26-5, 8-0

Memphis

East Carolina

Photo by: Matthew A. Smith

Late ECU rally spoils Durham’s gem, Pirates sweep Memphis

Apr 11, 2021 | Baseball

Box Score

GREENVILLE, N.C. – In arguably his best collegiate start, Chris Durham (L, 2-3) set a new career-high with 7+ innings on the mound. The Memphis Tigers southpaw departed with two men on and no outs in the eighth and saw the ECU Pirates plate both men against Walker Brockhouse, as the Pirates earned the four-game sweep with a 7-1 victory.

Durham seemed to get stronger as his start went on. The Memphis starter surrendered a solo home run to Seth Caddell in the first inning but then wasn't charged with any runs until he had departed the game in the eighth. Durham allowed three runs on five hits as he struck out nine over 7+ frames.

Opposite Durham, Tyler Smith (ND) surrendered just one run over 5.2 innings. After five-scoreless against the ECU starter, the Tigers (11-19, 1-7) finally got on the board via a sixth inning home run from Alec Trela, his third home run of the series. Ben Brooks followed with a double, but the Tigers left the go-ahead run at second base. Memphis then got a leadoff double in the seventh against Cam Colmore (W, 4-0), but the Pirates reliever retired the next three in order, two by strikeout. Colmore then retired the side in order in the eighth and kept the game tied 1-1.

After Durham worked his first 1-2-3 inning of the game in the seventh, he returned to the mound for the eighth. Connor Norby led off the frame with an infield single that deflected off of the Memphis starter, while Thomas Francisco followed with a base hit to right field. With men at first and second and no outs, the Tigers turned to Brockhouse. Caddell dropped down a successful sacrifice bunt, which put men at second and third with one out. With the infield drawn in, Josh Moylan hit a high chopper just over the head of Taylor Howell at first base. Moylan's single plated two runs, made it 3-1, and proved to be the decisive hit.

The Pirates (26-5, 8-0) busted it open from there in the eighth, as they added four more in the frame. With the six-run inning, ECU took a 7-1 lead into the ninth. Ryder Giles entered to pitch the final frame for the Pirates and set down the Tigers in order, as he secured ECU's four-game sweep.

Off of the sweep against ECU and the conclusion of an eight-game road trip, the Tigers will return to Memphis for consecutive AAC home series. The Tigers will host Cincinnati for four games April 16-18 and follow with a four-game series vs. Tulane April 23-25.