The East Carolina softball team used a seventh-inning explosion to defeat Marshall, 7-2, in the quarterfinals of the 2008 C-USA Softball Championship. The Pirates improve to 36-27 overall while the Herd finish their season at 26-29.

ECU jumped on top in the top of the fifth when Charina Sumner poked an RBI single through the middle, scoring Sarah Bibee who had pinch run for Paige Baggett. Marshall responded in the bottom of the fifth, using a one-out bases loaded walk and a sacrifice fly to take a 2-1 lead.

The Pirates tied the game quickly, receiving a leadoff home run from Stacey Andrews, her 11th of the season, to tied the contest. Then, after Brooke Swann retired the Herd with ease in the bottom of the sixth, East Carolina exploded in the top of the seventh.

Back-to-back doubles from Baggett and Sumner gave the Pirates a 3-2 lead. Then, ECU used an error by Marshall to plate two more runs, extending the advantage to 5-2. Cristen Aona ended the onslought with a two-run shot that rang off of the scoreboard in right center to close the scoring, 7-2.

The Pirates are back in action Friday at 4:30 CT as they face the top-seeded Houston Cougars for the right to move on to the championship contest of the tournament.