The No. 16 program in the nation, the East Carolina University Pirates, beat the Wake Forest University Demon Deacons 7-6 on Saturday afternoon in the Greenville Regional elimination game of the 2024 NCAA tournament. Junior left fielder Luke Novak roped a game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth inning.
ECU is ranked No. 1 in the Greenville Regional as the host, and Wake Forest was ranked No. 2.
The Demon Deacons ended the 2024 season with an overall record of 38-22.
Wake Forest starting right-handed pitcher Chase Burns threw five innings and allowed five hits, four earned runs, four walks, and seven strikeouts. Burns flamed 96 pitches with 59 strikes in the no-decision.
Burns is ranked No. 5 on MLBpipeline.com’s Top 200 prospects.
ECU starting right-handed pitcher Trey Yesavage threw 7.1 innings, allowing one hit, one earned run, four walks, and six strikeouts. Yesavage gunned 112 pitches with 74 strikes on Saturday afternoon in the no-decision.
Yesavage is No. 11 on MLBpipeline.com’s Top 200 Ranked Draft Prospects.
The Demon Deacons did not get on the board until the top of the third inning when first baseman Nick Kurtz drove an RBI single into right field, scoring catcher Chris Katz for the game’s first run.
In the bottom of the fifth inning, ECU finally got on the scoreboard with designated hitter Ryan McCrystal slugging a double to left field, scoring shortstop Joey Berini to tie the game at 1-1.
A few batters later, third baseman Dixon Williams launched a three-run home run over the right-center field wall, scoring McCrystal and Jacob Jenkins-Cowart to break the tie at 4-1.
Wake Forest did not score until the top of the ninth inning, with center fielder Antonio Morales driving an RBI single into right-center field, scoring designated hitter Jake Reinisch to cut the deficit in half at 4-2.
The next batter, left fielder Javon Williams, rocked an RBI single into center field, scoring third baseman Seaver King to make it 4-3.
A few moments later, Demon Deacons shortstop Marek Houston walked with the bases loaded, scoring Morales to tie the game at 4-4.
As the next batter, Kurtz grounded into a fielder’s choice to second base, with Williams coming into the score to grab a 5-4 lead.
During the top of the ninth inning, Wake Forest right fielder Jack Winnay gave the Demon Deacons some insurance by pounding an RBI single to center field, scoring catcher Cameron Gil to extend the game to 6-4.
The Pirates were down to their final three outs of getting knocked out of the tournament in the bottom of the ninth inning when Jenkins-Cowart banged an RBI single to center field, scoring center fielder Ryley Johnson to make it 6-5.
Williams tied the game shortly after with an RBI single to left field, scoring Nathan Crismon to even the game up at 6-6. Jenkins-Cowart advanced to third base after Williams could not come up with the ball cleanly in left field.
A few batters later, Nowak came up to the plate and ended the game with a ground ball single with the Demon Deacons infield playing in with one out with Willimas coming into scoring for the 7-6 win, as everyone jumped out of the ECU dugout to celebrate their first win of the 2024 NCAA tournament.
Wake Forest head coach Tom Walter’s pitching staff allowed 11 hits, seven earned runs, six walks, and eight strikeouts during Saturday’s loss.
Wake Forest relief pitcher Michael Massey dropped his record to 4-2 and drew his first blown save of the season.
East Carolina head coach Cliff Godwin’s pitching staff allowed six hits, five earned runs, five walks, and six strikeouts.
Pirates relief pitcher Charlie Hodges earned his first win of the year after coming into the game in the top of the ninth inning and has his record at 1-0.
ECU used eight pitchers during their win on Saturday afternoon.
The Demon Deacons will have their season cut short after last year being one win away from the National Championship Series at the 2023 College World Series in Omaha and losing to the 2023 National Champion Louisiana State University Tigers 2-0 in 11 innings from Tommy White’s game-winning two-run home run.
ECU (38-21) will play in its second elimination game of the 2024 tournament on Sunday at noon EST against the loser of VCU and Evansville.
