#image_title
1
0 The Diamond Heels took care of business against in-state rival ECU Pirates this weekend with a 2-1 series victory secured in Game 3 at the Bosh. This is the now annual series between the two teams which play a game at each home field with the 2nd game held at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. To give you an idea of how much each fanbase cares for this rivalry, it has been raining all day in near-freezing weather and the Bosh is sold out. The Heels took game 1 in The Jungle in an 8 inning run-rule shutout victory Friday night, and the Pirates responded with a 10-3 win on Saturday.
Game 1
The Diamond Heels handed ECU star pitcher his first loss of the season while UNC Jason Decaro picked up his 2nd. UNC took Game 1 on the road 10-0 in just 8 innings, and only used one pitcher to do it. That’s right, Jason Decaro pitched a complete game in one of the toughest ballparks in the country. In eight innings pitched, Decaro allowed only 5 hits, walked 1 batter, and recorded 7 strikeouts. The Tar Heel pitching staff continues to live up to its’ preseason reputation. Erik Paulsen and Macon Winslow stayed red hot at the plate for the Heels, each recording a hit, while Paulsen smashed his 2nd homerun of the season. Every single player that stepped into the batters box recorded a hit. This was exactly the way you draw up the first game of this series if you are Scott Forbes.
Game 2
The mid-series matchup at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park went exactly the way the Tar Heels didn’t want. Folger Boaz got the start for the Heels but was chased after only 4 and two thirds innings. Boaz gave up 7 hits and 3 runs before getting pulled, recording 2 strikeouts and a walk. Walker Mcduffie gave 2 and a third innings in relief, allowing 3 hits and 3 runs while also recording 2 strikeouts. Walker Mcduffie also picked up the loss on the day, dropping his record to 1-1. The Tar Heel pitching staff had a difficult day at the office. Six pitchers combined to allow 15 hits, 10 runs, 2 walks, and only 4 strikeouts. ECU took game 2 with a 10-3 win over the Tar Heels.
Game 3
Game 3 got off to a bit of a quiet start, but things picked up with both teams trading a run in the 3rd and 4th innings. Both teams would then plate 2 runs in the 5th inning before the game was interrupted. We then entered into a rain delay that would end up with the game being declared a tie. The teams both having class in the morning and ECU is looking at a 3-4 hour drive through some pretty nasty weather back to Greenville. You hate to see such a high profile series between two bitter in-state rivals end this way, but player safety comes first.
Moving Forward
This was a tough series, and it always has been between these two teams. Folger Boaz continues to look for consistency, and Walker Mcduffie is still looking for his first win. The Diamond Heels improve to 6-1 on the year and remain undefeated in a series. The Pirates improve to 3-4 on the season, a rather surprising start for a team with Omaha-minded aspirations.
Up next, the Diamond Heels host the NC A&T Aggies at Boshamer Stadium at 4pm on Tuesday afternoon on the ACCNX. The Aggies are 1-5 on the season and are still looking for their first road win of the season.
About the Author
