GREENVILLE, N.C. – Wichita State scored three times in the top of the ninth inning and advanced the tying run to third base, but could not bring him home as East Carolina survived for a 6-5 win on Friday night in the opening game of a three-game series at Clark-LeClair Stadium.

Trailing 6-2 entering the ninth, the Shockers got a pair of singles from Sawyre Thornhill and Garrett Kocis sandwiched around two strikeouts, leaving the Shockers (12-17) with just one out left to play with. Seth Stroh worked a walk to load the bases, then Payton Tolle came off the bench to lace an RBI single into right, trimming the ECU lead to 6-3. 

Couper Cornblum cut into the lead further with a bases-loaded walk, making it 6-4 and prompting a call to the bullpen for the Pirates. Reliever Trey Yesavage bounced his fourth pitch to the backstop, allowing Stroh to score and moving the tying and go-ahead runs into scoring position, but his next pitch struck out Chuck Ingram for the game's final out.

East Carolina (17-14) used a three-run second inning to grab the early initiative, starting the frame with four straight hits against Wichita State starter Jace Kaminska (2-3) to score a trio of runs. The Pirates made it 4-0 in the third when Jacob Starling bounced a two-out RBI single into right field.

Xavier Casserilla got the Shockers on the board in the fourth with a solo home run, his fourth long ball of the season. Chuck Ingram did the same in the eighth, slamming an opposite field solo shot that made it 5-2. 

ECU starter Ryder Giles (3-0) held the Shockers to just a single run over seven innings to earn the win, striking out eight without issuing a walk. Yesavage picked up his second save by recording the final out.

LJ McDonough and Derek Shaver each had a scoreless appearance out of the bullpen for Wichita State.

The series continues with game two on Saturday afternoon at 3:00 pm CST.