CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Taylor Edwards went 4-for-4 at the plate and Anna Sawyer hit her first career home run as East Carolina defeated North Carolina 8-4 at Anderson Stadium on Wednesday night.
 
Logan Sutton and Taudrea Sinnie each added hits for the Pirates (22-12, 0-3 AAC) who defeated the Tar Heels (13-22, 3-6 ACC) for the first time since April 23, 2015, forced Carolina to use four pitchers and improved to 3-1 in midweek games this season.
 
The Pirates would get on the board first in the top of the second after a Taylor Woodring single advanced Sutton to third and Sutton would then steal home to give ECU an early 1-0 lead. The Tar Heels would answer to knot the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the third.
 
ECU would open the game up in the top of the fifth after Sawyer’s three RBI bomb to center field to extend its advantage to 6-1. Carolina would rattle off three straight singles to trim the deficit to three runs but the Pirates would record three straight outs to escape the inning.
 
Sutton would hit a two RBI double to push ECU’s lead to 8-3 in the top of the sixth in the top of the sixth to give the Pirates enough of a cushion to earn their first win in Chapel Hill since 2008.  
 
Addy Bullis (13-4) tossed five strikeouts in seven innings of work for the win while Lilli Backes (6-11) gave up three earned runs and four hits for the loss.
 
Up Next
The Pirates will return home for its first home conference series against UCF starting on Friday, Mar. 31 at 5 p.m. on ESPN+.