East Carolina Tops Rider, 5-4 | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of ECU Sports.

    GREENVILLE, N.C.     East Carolina built an early lead in the first inning and never trailed on the way to a 5-4 victory over Rider on the final day of the Purple-Gold Invitational Sunday afternoon inside Max R. Joyner Family Stadium.

    The Pirates (11-10) and Broncs (7-6) will meet again Monday morning at 11 a.m. in a single contest.

    Logyn Estes (3-1) earned the win in relief, allowing just one run on two hits in 2.2 innings. She recorded a strikeout and did not walk a batter. Taylor Smith secured her second save of the campaign by recording the final two outs. Anna-Marie Groskritz (1-3) took the loss in a complete-game effort, surrendering five runs (three earned) on nine hits with two walks and four strikeouts.

    Faith Jarvis and Bailee Wilson paced ECU with two hits apiece while Sydney Yoder scored a pair of runs and Estes notched two RBI. Lani Moreno went 2-for-3 with a run scored and three RBI for the visitors.

    After Pirate starter Madisyn Davis sailed through the top of the first by retiring the side in order, the East Carolina offense went right to work. Jarvis laced a leadoff double to left field before Chandley Garner beat out a throw to first for an infield single. With one out, Ledvina grounded out to the circle, allowing Jarvis to score the game's first run. Yoder then singled to short to plate Garner and Estes ripped an RBI double down the left field line to extend the lead to 3-0.

    The Pirates added two in the bottom of the third as Estes recorded a run-scoring groundout before Yoder crossed home on a successful stolen base attempt by Taudrea Sinnie. Rider responded, however, with a three-run home run off Moreno's bat to slice the ECU advantage to 5-3.

    Down to their last chance in the top of the seventh, the Broncs were able to plate a run courtesy of a Jessie Niegocki RBI single, but Smith slammed the door shut by inducing a pair of fly ball outs.

    Purple-Gold Invitational Day Three Scores

    Bryant 13, Morehead State 2

    Rider 23, Morehead State 9

    East Carolina 5, Rider 4