ECU baseball drops series at Rice

Michael SeegarsSunday’s game seemed like it was going to be a pitching duel, as both teams only managed three hits in the first three innings. But ECU (12-4) pushed a run through in the top of the fourth, a lead the Pirates would hold until they collapsed in the eighth inning. Jimmy Boyd started for the Pirates and had a career-high 7 1/3 innings pitched, allowing a game-tying homer in the eighth to tie the game.

ECU skipper Cliff Godwin pulled his starter for closer Joe Ingle. He’s been known to try to bring Ingle in early to “slam the door,” something that worked against Longwood, but failed against Elon. And it failed again on Sunday, as Ingle walked and hit a batter to load the bases.…