Elon, N.C. - The Elon Phoenix baseball team (7-6) fell to the No. 12/16 East Carolina Pirates (9-3) during their midweek matchup at Latham Park on Wednesday, 5-1.  
 
Freshman Ryan Sprock had his most complete game at the plate against the Pirates. Sprock finished 3-for-4 against ECU with a double and scored the Phoenix's only run. The Phoenix bullpen had another fine showing, with the Phoenix relievers combining to only give up three hits, while striking out three Pirates.
 
East Carolina had four players combine for eight of their nine hits, led by Jacob Starling, who finished with a double and a first inning home run. Zach Root picked up the win for the Pirates, pitching five scoreless innings in relief, allowing just three hits and striking out three.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Cole Reynolds got the start for the Phoenix and retired his first batter of the game, but the second batter Jacob Starling clubbed a solo home run to give the Pirates an early 1-0 lead.
• ECU would respond with two more runs in the top of the second using a trio of singles and heads up base running. Following singles by Berini and Wilcoxen, ECU would perform a double steal and Berini would score on a throwing error.
• Ryley Johnson would follow that sequence with a single back up the middle to extend the Pirate lead to three.
• Elon loaded the bases in the bottom of the second inning but could not muster any runs while stranding three runners.
• Neither team produced any more runs until the Phoenix got on the board in the bottom half of the fourth inning. Following a Ryan Sprock leadoff double, Justin Cassella singled back up the middle to score Sprock.
• In Reynolds' final three innings of work, the lefty would only allow one hit, retiring five in a row, as well as four in a row during that stretch to halt the ECU offensive attack.
• Joe Savino would enter the game for the Phoenix and throw two innings of work, while striking out three of the six batters he faced.
• East Carolina added to its lead with a sacrifice squeeze by Carter Cunningham, scoring another run to increase its lead to 4-1.
• The final run of the ball game would come in the top of the ninth off a fielding error in the infield to score Berini to bring the score to its final tally of 5-1.
• The win for the Pirates would earn them their third straight over the Phoenix and their third in a row this season.

NOTES AND STATS

• Phoenix reliever Joe Savino continued to increase his punchout tally with three more against the Pirates. In four relief appearances this season, Savino has struck out at least three batters in each outing and totals 19 on the season. Savino is now tied for second in the conference in strikeouts.
• Freshman Ryan Sprock finished 3-for-4 on the day, his first multi-hit game as a Phoenix. Sprock also delivered his first double of his career and led the team in hits for the first time in his Elon career.
• Justin Cassella continued his hot start to the season with an RBI single against ECU. Cassella has now extended his hitting streak to five games and has three RBI during that stretch.
• Charlie Granatell added to his team leading 17 total hits with another single against the Pirates. Granatell is tied for fifth in the CAA in hits.
• Tanner Holliman recorded a hit and a stolen base against ECU. The stolen base was the first bag swiped in a Phoenix uniform for the transfer.
• For the Pirates, four players recorded multiple hits. The bottom of the lineup really got it going for ECU, combining for six hits with Berini, Wilcoxen, and Johnson each slapping two this.
• East Carolina stole seven bags against the Phoenix with Luke Nowak swiping three for the Pirates.
• The Phoenix have now lost three straight against East Carolina and have lost two of the last three when the Pirates have been a ranked opponent.

 
UP NEXT

• Elon will continue the homestand with its first CAA series this weekend against the Northeastern Huskies. Friday's game will begin at 4 p.m. and Saturday's game will begin at 2 p.m. Sunday will be the series finale with first pitch at 1 p.m.