BOCA RATON, FLA. - East Carolina opened play at the Florida Atlantic Dunkin' Donuts Classic with a pair of setbacks Friday, falling 3-1 to No. 14 Michigan before suffering a six-inning 9-1 loss to Maryland at the FAU Softball Stadium.
After opening the season with three consecutive victories, the Pirates (3-3) have dropped three straight. The Wolverines improved to 5-1 while the Terrapins evened their record at 1-1.
In the opener against Michigan, a pair of hits and a throwing error by ECU pitcher Keli Harrell erased a 1-0 Pirate lead and keyed a game-deciding three-run sixth inning by the Wolverines.
Vanessa Moreno accounted for East Carolina's only run with a RBI-double to right-center field in the bottom of the third inning to score Cristen Aona from first base. The at-bat for Moreno was her first of the 2007 season after missing the first week of action.
Lorilyn Wilson (3-1) earned the win for the Wolverines, scattering four hits and striking out three in a complete game effort. Harrell (2-2) allowed five hits and three unearned runs while fanning twelve in through 7.0 innings.
Against Maryland, Jessica Johnson's second homer of the season, a solo shot in the second inning, tied the game at one, but a five-run second inning put the Terrapins ahead for good. Maryland added three more runs in the sixth off reliever Brooke Swann to push its lead to 9-1 and seal the victory.
