GREENVILLE, N.C. - Monmouth University scored six runs in the sixth inning and held off a late rally by No. 16 East Carolina to take game one of the three-game series 11-9 Friday night at Lewis Field inside Clark-LeClair Stadium. With the victory, the Hawks won their third straight and improve to 3-4, while the 16th-ranked Pirates fall to 9-8 overall.

Trailing 3-2 heading into the sixth frame, the Hawks posted six runs on four hits, to take an 8-3 lead in the inning, as both Josh Boyd and Nick Pulsonetti delivered two-RBI hits, while Matt McEndy's two-run, two-out single up the middle in the top of the ninth proved to the difference for the Blue and White.

Senior Nick Meyers (2-0) recorded his second win of the season, surrendering three runs on six hits in five innings of work with five strikeouts. Freshman Neil Harm picked up his first save of his career, allowing two runners to reach base before recording the final out of the game.

Monmouth took an early 2-0 lead in the second thanks to three doubles in the frame. Jamie Rosenkranz laced a shot to right field and advanced to third when Danny Alleva flied out to center. After a Bobby Dombrowski ground out, Mike Casale followed with an RBI double to left scoring Rosenkranz. Kyle O'Neill pushed across Casale on a double down the right field line.

The Pirates answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning taking a 3-2 lead. Corey Thompson doubled with one out and scored on Zach Wright's double to center before Jake Harris cleared the bases with his third home run of season.

To start the sixth, Pirate starter Kevin Brandt gave up a leadoff home run to Rosenkranz to tie the game at three shortly before Avella reached on a free pass. Avella took second on a passed ball and landed on third from a sac bunt Dombrowski. After a Pirate pitching change brought Sthil Sowers to the bump, Boyd singled up the middle scoring Casale and Avella for a 5-3 lead. Ryan Terry followed with a run-scoring single in front of Pulsonetti's two-run double down the rightfield line.

Jared Avchen connected for his first home run of the season in the bottom half of the sixth reducing the lead to four, 8-4.

Monmouth went ahead 9-4 in the top of the eighth on Pulsonetti's sacrifice fly, to plate Boyd, who drew a one-out walk.

In the eighth frame ECU's Devin Harris blasted the first pitch he saw from Smith to left field pulling the Pirates within four, 9-5. Avchen doubled down the right field line to put himself in scoring position with one away before Kyle Roller recorded his first hit of the game, a single to right, scoring Avchen to shorten the Hawks lead to three, 9-6.

Trailing 11-6 with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, ECU scored three runs to cut the Hawks lead to two, 11-9. Thompson led off with his second hit of the night lacing a single up the middle. After Wright flied out to center and Harris struck out, Cam Freeman delivered a single down the left field line putting runners at the corners before he stole second on Jared Avchen's at-bat. With a full count, Avchen sent a high fly ball to left field for his second home run of the evening pulling the Pirates within two.

Trent Whitehead drew a two-out walk, Dustin Harrington singled through the left side and Roller reached on his second free pass of the night loading the bases for freshman John Wooten, who flew out to left field to end the game.

Brandt (1-2) lasted 5.1 innings fanning seven hitters, while giving up four runs (all earned) on five hits before being lifted for Sowers, who allowed five runs (all earned) in two innings, while Shawn Armstrong gave up two runs in 1.2 frames.

Freshman Dan Smith gave up four runs on five hits with two walks in three innings and junior Nick McNamara was touched for two runs on two hits in two-thirds of an inning.

Monmouth and No. 16 ECU will continue the series Saturday afternoon with a first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m.