ECU-Houston play to 4-4, 12-inning stalemate

By ECU Sports Information
Published in Sports on April 7, 2012 11:05 PM

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Sports Information

GREENVILLE -- Jay Cannon's RBI single to center field forged a tie in regulation that couldn't be broken in 12 innings Saturday afternoon at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium.

No. 27-ranked East Carolina settled for a 4-4 draw against Conference USA rival Houston. The game was called due to league travel rules.

The Cougars (11-18-1 overall, 1-7-1 CUSA) battled to a 1-1 tie in the fifth inning, and grabbed a three-run advantage in the sixth against Pirates reliever Andy Smithmyer. Casey Grayson, who connected on a lead-off double, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on Jake Runte's suicide squeeze bunt moments later.

Landon Appling and Jacob Lueneberg increased Houston's lead with an RBI apiece.

East Carolina (22-8-1, 6-2-1) rallied for a 4-4 tie in the seventh inning.

Philip Clark and Tim Younger, who combined for five hits, each singled. Clark and Younger each scored on an error. Cannon followed with his game-tying single that led to the Pirates' first tie in regular-season play since 2003.

Despite surrendering 13 hits, Houston starter Austin Pruitt yielded just four runs (two earned) and struck out four in eight innings of work.

The Pirates' Tanner Merritt was outstanding in relief, tossing a career-best 61/3 scoreless frames in which he allowed five hits and recorded one punch out. The sophomore right-hander has not allowed a run in his last 112/3 innings of work.

Neither team scored in the final five innings.

Jack Reinheimer (2-for-5) and John Wooten (2-for-5) joined Clark and Younger as the only other Pirates to record multi-hit games.

ECU travels to Elon on Tuesday. Game time is 6 p.m.