WICHITA, Kan. – The East Carolina softball team fell 5-1 in its series opener with No. 23 Wichita State on Friday evening inside Wilkins Stadium.

Taudrea Sinnie recorded one hit and the lone RBI for the Pirates (26-21, 3-10 AAC) who left seven runners on base and were only 1-for-8 at the plate with runners in scoring position. 

Addison Barnard led the way for Wichita State (38-8, 11-2 AAC) with two hits, two runs and two RBI. 

The Shockers struck first, scoring two early runs on an RBI triple from Barnard and Barnard would subsequently steal home but ECU would retire three of the next four batters to minimize the damage. 

In the top of the fourth, ECU would record its first hit on a single from Taylor Edwards and load the bases, but Wichita State would get the lead runner out at home and get a strikeout to escape the inning with a 2-0 lead. 

The Pirates would trim the deficit to one in the top of the fifth inning on an RBI single from Sinnie and ECU would threaten to score more with the bases loaded but the Shockers would retire the side and ECU would leave three runners on base. 

Wichita State would pull away in the bottom of the fifth with back-to-back solo home runs to take a 4-1 lead and add an insurance run in the sixth inning on a Pirate error in route to the series opening win.

Jordan Hatch (12-9) gave up six hits and four runs in 4.1 innings for the loss and Lauren Howell (16-2) tossed four strikeouts and gave up four hits for the win.

Up Next
East Carolina will look to even the series tomorrow at 4 p.m. ET on ESPN+.