CLEARWATER, Fla. – Top-seeded East Carolina defeated No. 8 seed Rice, 8-7, in an elimination game on Friday afternoon at the 2024 American Baseball Championship presented by Regions at Bay Care Ballpark in Clearwater, Fla.
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With the win, East Carolina (42-14) advances to the semifinals on Saturday. The Pirates will have to win two games against Wichita State to advance to Sunday’s final. The first game on Saturday is scheduled for 9 a.m. Eastern on ESPN+. Rice concludes the season with a record of 23-36 in its first season in The American.
The Pirates jumped out to a big lead with three runs in each of the first two innings. The Owls clawed back into the game and pulled within one at 7-6 in the sixth before East Carolina added an insurance run in the eighth. Rice scored a run and had a runner at third before ECU reliever Danny Beal closed the door.
For the Pirates, Ryan McCrystal went 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBI while Jacob Starling was 2-for-4 with three runs driven in. Max Johnson was 2-for-3 with a pair of run driven in for the Owls.
Zach Root, pitching for the first time in a month, got the start for the Pirates, allowing one run in three innings with three strikeouts. Colby Wallace (1-0) was credited with the win for two scoreless innings after the Owls pulled within one. Beal earned his fourth save.
Tucker Alch (1-3) took the loss for Rice, allowing four runs in 1+ innings.
2024 American Baseball Championship presented by Regions
BayCare Ballpark | Clearwater, Fla.
Championship Central
Schedule
Tuesday, May 21
Game 1: No. 4 Wichita State 8, No. 5 UAB 2 | Box Score | Highlights
Game 2: No. 1 East Carolina 12, No. 8 Rice 4 | Box Score | Highlights
Game 3: No. 7 Charlotte 9, No. 2 UTSA 5 (12 innings) | Box Score | Highlights
Game 4: No. 3 Tulane 14, No. 6 Florida Atlantic (7 innings) | Box Score | Highlights
Wednesday, May 22
Game 5: Rice 9, UAB 0 (UAB Eliminated) | Box Score | Highlights
Game 6: Florida Atlantic 12, UTSA 5 (UTSA eliminated) | Box Score | Highlights
Thursday, May 23
Game 7: Wichita State 14, East Carolina 4 | Box Score | Highlights
Game 8: Tulane 7, Charlotte 5 | Box Score | Highlights
Friday, May 24
Game 9: East Carolina 8, Rice 7 (Rice Eliminated) | Box Score | Highlights
Game 10: Florida Atlantic 10, Charlotte 8 (Charlotte Eliminated) | Box Score | Highlights
Saturday, May 25
Game 11: Wichita State vs. East Carolina | 9 a.m. | ESPN+
Game 12: Tulane vs. Winner of Game 10 | 47 minutes after Game 11 | ESPN+
Game 13: Wichita State vs. East Carolina (if necessary) | TBD | ESPN+
Game 14: Tulane vs. Winner of Game 12 (if necessary) | TBD | ESPN+
Sunday, May 26
Game 15: Semifinal Winners | Noon | ESPNEWS/ESPN+
All times listed are Eastern.
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