Box Score

CHARLESTON, S.C. – East Carolina scored five times in the top of the seventh to offset a tremendous pitching performance by Carli McCants as the Pirates downed the Cougars, 5-4, in the opener of a three-game series at Patriots Point.

The teams finish the set with a Sunday doubleheader beginning at noon.

McCants took a two-hit shutout into the seventh before the Pirates took advantage of four hits and three walks against McCants and relievers Lauren Sandor and Drayton Siegling for the comeback win. The tying and winning runs came across when a two-out grounder up the middle hit the second base bag.

Payton Wade doubled to lead off the bottom of the seventh, but Charleston was unable to push across a run. Wade and Jenna Carter both had two of the Cougars' eight hits with Carter scoring twice.

McCants struck out six in 6.1 innings and was backed by four runs in the first three innings, including a two-run single by Carsten Puckett in the second and an infield RBI hit by Noel Dominguez in the third.