GREENVILLE, N.C. – John Newton and Alec DeMartino both collected three hits and Luke Craig delivered 4.1 shutout innings in relief as UNCW powered its way past eighth-ranked East Carolina, 9-3, on Tuesday at Clark-LeClair Stadium.
The Seahawks, who swept the season series for the first time since 2013, improved to 16-9 overall and 7-2 on the road. The Pirates saw their modest winning streak halted at three and fell 19-6.
Newton's three hits were a career-high and led the Seahawks who outhit ECU, 11-6. DeMartino, who also homered, tied his career-high with three hits and he scored three hits. Tanner Thach belted his team-leading eighth homer of the season to give the Seahawks a 4-2 lead in the fifth. Bryan Arendt added two hits and homered; it was his second of the year.
Craig (2-0) allowed just one hit, walked one and struck out two in earning his second win of the season. His 4.1 innings worked were a career-long.
Six different Pirates had hits on the night. Jacob Jenkins-Cowart hit his fifth homer of the season.
Eric Ritchie (1-1) was saddled with the loss out of the pen.
The Seahawks welcome Colonial Athletic Association newcomer North Carolina A&T to Brooks Field for a three-game series beginning on Friday at 6 p.m.
How it happened: In the Seahawk fifth, Dillon Lifrieri reached on a fielding error to open the inning. One batter later, Thach belted a 3-1 offering from Ritchie over the wall in center field to make it 4-2 UNCW. The Seahawks pushed the lead to 7-2 with three in the seventh. DeMartino and Trevor Marsh had RBI singles and Taber Mongero, who knocked in two runs on the night, plated the third run with a sacrifice fly to left.
Home Runs: UNCW: Thach (8, one man on in the fifth off Ritchie to CF, 425 feet, 107 exit velocity), DeMartino (3, off Winter in the ninth to LC, 401 feet, 105 exit velocity), Arendt (2, solo off Winter in the ninth to LF, 385 feet, 101 exit velocity); ECU: Jenkins-Cowart (5, solo off Banks in the eighth to CF, 410 feet, 105 exit velocity)
Notes: UNCW defeated the Pirates, who were ranked 11th at the time, 8-5 on Mar. 14 … Ryan Calvert made his first start for the Seahawks on the mound since May 18, 2021 … He went 2.1 innings and allowed a pair of runs, both unearned … UNCW's last win against a top-10 ranked opponent was Mar. 17, 2021, against #7 East Carolina … Thach's 425-foot home run tied him with Marsh for the longest home run by a Seahawk this season … Head Coach Randy Hood earned his 90th career win tonight.
