GREENVILLE, N.C. (Interstat) — East Carolina erupted for eight runs in the third inning Saturday and defeated South Florida 12-4 in the first game of a doubleheader at Clark-LeClair Stadium.

The Pirates improved to 28-16 overall, while the Bulls dropped to 28-15. Both teams entered the day tied at 28-15 before the contest.

East Carolina starter Ethan Norby worked 5 2/3 innings, allowing eight hits and three earned runs while striking out seven to earn the win. Reliever Joseph Webb struck out seven over 2 2/3 hitless innings, and Will Allen tossed two scoreless frames for South Florida.

The Bulls struck first in the top of the first. Bradke Lohry led off with a strikeout, but Jevin Relaford singled and advanced on a base hit by Trippel. After a pair of flyouts, South Florida led 1-0.

That advantage held until the bottom of the third, when the Pirates sent 11 men to the plate. With one out, Walker Barron belted a two-run homer to deep right field, scoring Sabater, who had been hit by a pitch. Irby singled and Bachman reached on an error by shortstop Relaford, setting the stage for Nick Parham’s three-run blast over the right-field wall, scoring Irby and Bachman unearned.

The rally continued. Burress singled, and after a pitching change, Whitaker walked. Jack Herring tripled to drive in two more unearned runs, and Colby Wallace added an RBI single, making the score 9-1.

Parham finished 2 for 4 with a home run and three RBIs. Herring went 3 for 4 with a double, a triple and two RBIs. Wallace also collected three hits, drove in three runs and scored once. Barron’s home run gave him three RBIs.

South Florida attempted to claw back. In the top of the fifth, Rose singled home Trippel to cut the deficit to 9-2. An inning later, Lohry doubled in Pruitt and Relaford singled in Lohry, pulling the Bulls within 9-4. But Norby gave way to Marley, who allowed a double to Trippel before being replaced by Webb. Webb struck out the side in order to strand two runners.

East Carolina tacked on insurance in the bottom of the fifth when Wallace walked with the bases loaded to force in Burress, pushing the lead to 10-4. In the seventh, Wallace singled home Whitaker, and Barron grounded out to plate Herring, making it 12-4.

Relaford led South Florida with four hits in five at-bats, scoring once and driving in a run. Lohry had two hits, including a double and an RBI. The Bulls collected 12 hits overall but left nine runners on base.

The Pirates’ offense pounded out 14 hits and took advantage of two South Florida errors, both by Relaford, leading to five unearned runs.

The teams are scheduled to play the second game of the doubleheader later Saturday.