With a tie of eight by the end of the ninth game, Ivan singled Melendez to the flat center and started the frame for Texas. Mitchell Daly moved Melendez on a sac bunt, which was followed by a deliberate walk by Austin Todd. Two batters later, Silas Ardoin loaded the bases with a walk before Campbell shoved down the right field line and pushed Melendez for the walk-off win.
Andre Duplantier II (3-1) earned the win by throwing 2.2 innings of relief where he allowed a run (earned) on two hits with a walk and three strikeouts. Starter Lucas Gordon gave up five runs (four earned) on five hits with three walks and five punch-outs in four innings. The Longhorns also deployed three extra arms to distance themselves from Marcus Olivarez (2.0 IP, 2 Hs, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K), Luke Harrison (0.1 IP, 2 Hs, 1 R) and Tristan Stevens (0.0IP, 1BB).
Wyatt Lunsford Shenkman (1-1) suffered the loss by giving up a run (earned) on two-walk hits in two-thirds of an inning. Starter Josh Grosz allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits with three punch-outs in 2.1 innings. The pirates would use six more guns for relief Danny Bel (0.2IP, 1BB), Garret Saylor (3.2 IP, 4 Hs, 2 Rs, 4 Ks), Trey Yesavage (0.1 IP), Ben Terwiller (0.0 IP, 3 Hs, 3 Rs), Carter Spivey (0.2, 2Hs, 1R), Zach Agnos (0.1 IP).
Texas went over two runs in the first inning for an early 2-0 lead. Eric Kennedy played to the left with an out, stole second base with two away games, and came around to score Murphy Stehly’s RBI single down the center right. A throwing error by ECU allowed Stehly to score for the two-run advantage in second.
Bryson Worrells A solo blaster to left center put the Pirates on the board in the fourth inning and cut the lead to 2-1 at the half. For Worrell, it was his 20th win of the season and 40th of his career.
ECU went over five runs for four hits in the fifth frame to take the game’s first lead at 6-2. Justin Wilcoxen Single left and was raised for Joey Rezek as a go-between. Agnos followed with a single in the middle and Lane Hoover reached due to a field error and loaded the bases. Worrell doubled the line and scored Rezek and Agnos. Jacob Jenkins-Cowart blasted his 13th homer of the season with a three-run shot down right field.
The Pirates added fun in the seventh game and extended their lead to 7-2. Jenkins-Cowart singles to right center and Ben Newton followed by a single down the right field line that takes runners to the corners. After a longhorn pitching change (Stevens), Jenkins-Cowart hit on a wild pitch.
Texas responded with two in the seventh to two run shots by Douglas Hodo III to right field. In the eighth round, it was Skyler Messinger’s three-run right homer that tied the game for seven points, and two batters later Campbell gave the Longhorns an 8-7 lead with a solo right shot.
Jacob Starling Tie the game at eight-all with a two-out solo blast down the left field line.
ECU scored 11 hits that day, receiving several from Worrell (three), Agnos (two), and Jenkins-Cowart (two). Worrell and Jenkins-Cowart also each plate three runs in the competition.