Pirates swept by AAC conference foe USF

Catcher Alex Mycek paced the East Carolina softball offense with a pair of home runs Sunday, but the Pirates failed to pick up a win in their South Florida three-game series this past weekend.

The three losses on the weekend drop the Pirates to 19-23, including 2-7 in the American Athletic Conference, whereas South Florida improves to 24-19, and gets back to even in the AAC at 4-4. After being above .500 for most of the season, ECU has dropped 10 of its last 13 games.

The third and final game of the series saw an offensive showcase for each team, but USF was ultimately too much in the end, winning 9-7. The Pirates had seven hits, two of which were home runs by redshirt junior Alex Mycek. Her two home runs bring her to a team-high 13 on the season. Her home runs also helped ECU set the AAC single-season record for most home runs with 50, beating the previous record of 49 USF set last year. The Pirates are now just eight home runs away from tying the program single-season record of 58 home runs in one season.

In game two of the series on Saturday, the Pirates held a 4-0 lead in the fourth inning, but were unable to keep their foot on the gas, giving up four runs in the fourth innings. The Bulls added to that lead with three more runs in the sixth inning after a three-run home run by Morgan Gross.

The offense was not the problem in the second game, as the Pirates finished with 10 hits to the Bulls’ nine. Home runs ended up being the deciding factor in the game, allowing the Bulls to take took the second matchup, 7-6.

The Pirates opened the series on Friday, and a lack of offense was to blame in their 3-0 loss. The Pirates had just two hits in seven innings of play, as USF pitcher Kalen McGill held them in check and earned the victory through a dominant pitching display.

Senior pitcher Lydia Ritchie (11-10) was tagged with all three losses on the weekend. After a strong day on Friday where she pitched a complete game and allowed just three runs, the next two days were not as successful. Ritchie came in for relief of sophomore pitcher Mary Williams on Saturday, and gave up three runs on six hits in three innings in the circle after Williams loaded the bases and was credited with the unlucky loss. Ritchie went the distance again in the third matchup on Sunday, however she allowed nine runs (five earned) on nine hits with three walks and two strikeouts.

The Pirates will look to gain some confidence moving forward in the AAC and will have a great opportunity Tuesday to work their issues out at home against a non-conference opponent in North Carolina Central, who has won just eight games all season.