CBA alum Sasser gets save for Pack against Pirates

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on April 3, 2013 1:47 PM

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ECU Sports Information

GREENVILLE -- Ryan Wilkins tossed five no-hit innings and Brett Williams drove in three runs as No. 27-ranked North Carolina State handed East Carolina a 6-1, non-conference loss at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium on Tuesday evening.

Wilkins retired 11 straight Pirates before Jay Cannon reached on a throwing error in the fourth inning. In his first start, Wilkins retired 15 of 16 batters he faced and logged five strikeouts before giving way to reliever Josh Easley.

Easley provided 21/3 innings of three-strikeout relief. Charles B. Aycock alum Grant Sasser, a red-shirt senior, retired all five batters he faced and posted three strikeouts for his second save of the season.

Trailing 5-0, East Carolina finally got on the board in the bottom half of the eighth inning and trimmed the lead to 5-1. Garrett Brooks, who pinch hit for Chase McDonald, was hit by a pitch and moved to second on Luke Lowery's ground out back to mound.

Drew Reynolds followed with a single to center scoring Brooks. Bryan Bass kept the inning alive with a single to left field and Jack Reinheimer loaded the bases with another single to left.

After the Pack went to the pen and brought in the left-handed Sasser, the Pirates made a change at the plate bringing Nick Thompson to hit for Dylan Brown. But Sasser got the best of Thompson retiring him looking for the second out.

Cannon ended the inning when he grounded out to second.

East Carolina (14-15 overall) collected four hits and had 11 strikeouts on the night. The Wolfpack (20-10) pounded out 10 hits.

Weather permitting, the Pirates play host to No. 21-ranked Rice University on Friday in Conference USA play.