ECU: Bucs Strike First

By Kenny Cook - April 07, 2007

Like John Rambo, the ECU Pirates drew first blood with 2 runs in the bottom of the first. Rice starter Dustin Sasser (3-1, 2.47) walked 3 batters in the first inning and couldn't escape the jam when Brandon Henderson drilled a 2 run single into left field.

There was a somewhat unusual play in the inning, when leadoff hitter Harrison Eldridge walked and advanced to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Dale Mollenhauer. The throw to second from 3B J.P. Padron went wildly into centerfield, but Eldridge was thrown out at third base when CF Tyler Henley threw to catcher Danny Lehmann (who was covering third). Eldridge rounded third and got tagged out by Lehmann as he tried to retreat to the bag. You don't see many 8-2 putouts in the infield.

Rice has gone down in order in the 2nd and still haven't had a runner reach base.