PROVIDENCE, R.I. – American Athletic Conference baseball teams went 2-1 in the first day of the 2016 NCAA Division I Baseball Championship as UConn and East Carolina scored Friday victories.
UConn, the American Athletic Conference tournament champion, was a 7-6 winner against Georgia Tech in the Gainesville Regional, while East Carolina took a 9-1 win against Bryant in the Charlottesville Regional to advance to Saturday’s winners’ bracket games. Tulane, The American’s regular-season champion, fell 7-2 to Boston College in the Oxford Regional and will play an elimination game Saturday.
UConn 7, Georgia Tech 6
Freshman Tim Cate – the American Athletic Conference Rookie Pitcher of the Year – scattered three hits and struck out six in 6.0 innings to get the win as No. 3-seeded UConn rode a seven-run second inning to a 7-6 win against No. 2-seeded Georgia Tech. Third-baseman Willy Yahn went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs to lead the Huskies offensively. UConn will face the winner of Friday’s second first-round game between top-seeded Florida and No. 4-seeded Bethune-Cookman.
Boston College 7, Tulane 2
Tulane, the No. 2 seed, dropped its opener in the Oxford Regional as Boston College ace Justin Dunn struck out 11 and allowed five hits and two runs to lead the third-seeded Eagles to the win. Tulane managed five hits for the game, as Hunter Williams’ two-run triple in the sixth provided the only Green Wave runs. Tulane will face either Mississippi or Utah in an elimination game Saturday.
East Carolina 9, Bryant 1
Catcher Travis Watkins and second-baseman Charlie Yorgen had three hits each and East Carolina starting pitcher Evan Kruczynski worked 7.0 shutout innings to lead the No. 3-seeded Pirates past the No. 2-seeded Bulldogs in Charlottesville, Virginia. Bryant entered the NCAA tournament with a nation-leading 47 wins, but the Pirates broken open a scoreless tie with a single run in the seventh before tagging the Bulldog bullpen for seven runs in the eighth. East Carolina will face No. 1-seeded Virginia Saturday in a winners’ bracket game.
2016 NCAA Baseball Championship
Gainesville Regional · Gainesville, Fla.
Friday, June 3
No. 3 UConn 7, No. 2 Georgia Tech 6
No. 4 Bethune-Cookman at No. 1 Florida......................................................................... 6 p.m.
Saturday, June 4
Georgia Tech vs. Florida/Bethune-Cookman loser.......................................................... Noon
UConn vs. Florida/Bethune-Cookman winner................................................................. 6 p.m.
Sunday, June 5
Elimination Game.................................................................................................................... Noon
Regional Final ....................................................................................................................... 6 p.m.
Monday, June 6
Regional Final (if necessary) .............................................................................................. 6 p.m.
Oxford Regional · Oxford, Miss.
Friday, June 3
No. 3 Boston College 7, No. 2 Tulane 2
No. 4 Utah at No. 1 Mississippi .......................................................................................... 8 p.m.
Saturday, June 4
Tulane vs. Utah/Mississippi loser....................................................................................... 2 p.m.
Boston College vs. Utah/Mississippi winner .................................................................. 6 p.m.
Sunday, June 5
Elimination Game................................................................................................................... 2 p.m.
Regional Final ........................................................................................................................ 6 p.m.
Monday, June 6
Regional Final (if necessary)............................................................................................... 8 p.m.
Charlottesville Regional · Charlottesville, Va.
Friday, June 3
No. 1 Virginia 17, No. 4 William & Mary 4
No. 3 East Carolina 9, No. 2 Bryant 1
Saturday, June 4
Bryant vs. William & Mary................................................................................................... 1 p.m.
Virginia vs. East Carolina..................................................................................................... 6 p.m.
Sunday, June 5
Elimination Game................................................................................................................... 1 p.m.
Regional Final ........................................................................................................................ 6 p.m.
Monday, June 6
Regional Final (if necessary) .............................................................................................. 6 p.m.
all times Eastern