Pirate trio helps ECU complete 3-game sweep of Cal State-Fullerton

Published in Sports on March 12, 2007 2:53 PM

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GREENVILLE -- Ryan Tousley, Stephen Batts and Ryan Wood combined for seven of East Carolina's nine hits, while driving in 9-of-11 runs to help complete the series sweep over Cal State Fullerton Sunday afternoon, 12-5, inside Clark-LeClair Stadium.

With the win, the Pirates go to 11-6 on the year and claim their first ever series sweep over a top-10 opponent in school history. The Titans fall to 12-8 and are swept for the first time since the opening weekend of play in 2004 when they dropped three to Stanford.

After the Pirates fell behind for the first time in the series 1-0 to the Titans, the Pirate bats came alive in the bottom of the second inning when they put an eight spot on the board to take a commanding 8-1 lead. Senior Ryan Tousley picked up a pair of hits in the frame roping a double to left-center to start the inning and then lacing a two-out bases clearing triple down the right field line. In all he accounted for five runs in the inning, driving in three and scoring twice.

Following Tousley's double, Stephen Batts singled to left then Corey Kemp drove in the tying run on another single through the left side that plated Tousley. Jake Dean advanced Batts (third) and Kemp (second) on a sac bunt right before Sean Urena struck out David Forbes.

With two outs, the Pirates would score seven runs, extending its lead to 8-1. Sophomore Ryan Wood smacked a two-run single scoring Batts and Kemp. Harrison Eldridge, who was hitless on the day, reached on a error by third baseman Billy Pinkerton, that advanced Wood to third. After a double steal by Eldridge and Wood that pushed the lead to 4-1, Dale Mollenhauer and Brandon Henderson drew consecutive walks to load the bases for Tousley's triple. Tousley would cap the scoring on Batts infield single.

Junior Josh Ruhlman picked up his first win in a Pirate uniform after working two innings of relief. He allowed three runs, on one hit while striking out one. ECU starter Josh Dowdy gave up two runs on seven hits in 42/3 innings before giving way to Ruhlman. Jason Neitz continued to be effective out of the pen tossing a scoreless 11/3 innings of relief, before giving way to Shane Mathews, who closed down the ninth by striking out the final two hitters of the frame.

Urena, the Titans starter who tossed a one-hit complete game against Rice last Sunday, was touched up for eight runs on six hits in 22/3 innings. Justin Klipp came in to relieve Urena in the third inning and lasted until the eighth after allowing one run and one hit in 41/3 innings. Nolan Bruyninckx gave up three runs on two hits in the eighth.

The Pirates will be back in action on Tuesday when they play host to Radford for a two-game midweek series starting at 3 p.m.

-- ECU sports information