East Carolina Drops Two On Opening Day In Georgia

Friday, February 10

Athens, Ga.

10:00 a.m.

East Carolina University

Syracuse

February 10, 2017 | Softball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2 Syracuse Box Score (PDF)Winthrop Box Score (PDF)

GREENVILLE, N.C. – The East Carolina softball team began its 2017 campaign Friday at the University of Georgia's Red and Black Showcase with pair of losses to Syracuse and Winthrop inside Turner Softball Stadium. The Pirates dropped a 9-6 decision to the Orange before falling to the Eagles by an 11-6 margin.

The Rundown: Game 1

Syracuse rapped out 11 hits and took advantage of three Pirate errors while committing three errors of its own in the season-opening win.

Junior infielder Karlie Smith and redshirt junior catcher Alex Mycek both notched a pair of hits and a run scored while Smith also drove in a run. Junior infielder Meredith Burroughs drew three walks in her first appearance for the Purple and Gold. Making her collegiate debut, redshirt freshman infielder Tate McClellan recorded two walks, a hit, a run and a RBI. Andrea Bombace turned in two hits, a run scored and four RBI to pace Syracuse at the dish.

Senior RHP Lydia Ritchie (0-1) took the loss, surrendering nine runs (six earned) on 11 hits. She walked three and struck out nine. Baylee Douglass (1-0) claimed the win for the Orange in 3.1 innings of relief work during which she allowed two runs on five hits. Sydney O'Hara collected the save by tallying six strikeouts over the final 2.2 innings.

The Decisive Moment: After East Carolina tied the score at six with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth, Bombace delivered a two-run single with two away in the top of the fifth to give Syracuse the lead for good. She had afforded the Orange a 6-4 cushion with a two-run home run in the top of fourth before ECU knotted the score with a two-spot in the home half.

Statistic of the Game: The Pirates left 13 runners stranded on base as compared to seven for Syracuse.

The Rundown: Game 2

The Eagles tallied 12 hits and scored nine of the game's final 13 runs to pull away from East Carolina.

Senior outfielder Kacie Oshiro produced a two-hit, two-run and three-RBI effort in the setback while classmate and fellow outfielder Ciara Ervin also scored a pair of runs. Burroughs clubbed the team's first home run of the campaign – a two-run shot in the bottom of the seventh that provided the contest's final margin. Maddie Antone enjoyed a big day at the plate for Winthrop, going 3-for-4 with a run scored and six RBI.

Sophomore RHP Mary Williams (0-1) was tagged with the loss as she gave up seven runs (three earned) on seven hits while notching five strikeouts and walking four Eagle batters. Keleigh Romine (1-0) tossed a strong six innings for her club as she limited the Pirates to three runs on two hits and worked around five walks.

The Decisive Moment: Following a two-run double by Oshiro that deadlocked the score at two in the bottom of the third inning, Winthrop took advantage of an error at second base to open the top of the fourth that led to a three-hit, four-run outburst. The Eagles would exit the half inning with a 6-2 lead they would not relinquish. Winthrop went on to score five more runs before ECU plated one in the bottom of the fifth and three in the home half of the seventh.

Statistic of the Game: A pair of Pirate errors turned into four costly unearned runs for the Eagles. Winthrop played a clean defensive game and did not commit a miscue in the field.

Up Next: East Carolina continues tournament play Saturday with a rematch against Winthrop at 10 a.m. before taking on No. 10/12 Georgia at 12:30 p.m.