Championship Central
 
CLEARWATER, Fla. – Colby Dunlop turned in a clutch relief outing, working 5.1 shutout innings, and the UConn lineup took advantage of nine hits, four Wichita State errors and a tournament-record 11 walks as the Huskies took an 8-3 win against the Shockers Saturday at Spectrum Field in the semifinal round of the American Athletic Conference Baseball Championship presented by Air Force Reserve.


 
UConn (36-22) advances to the American Championship final for the second-straight year and the third time in the event’s six-year history (2016, 2018). The Huskies will be playing for their second tournament title after winning the event in 2016. Wichita State (28-31) was eliminated from the tournament with its second loss.
 
Dunlop entered the game with one out in the second inning after Wichita State had already scored a run and moved a runner to third base. After allowing a wild pitch to give the Shockers a 2-0 lead, Dunlop surrendered only two singles and registered three strikeouts in 5.1 innings of work, while the Huskies’ offense built a 6-2 lead.
 
UConn did most of its damage in the second inning, putting five runs on the board to take a 5-2 lead. No. 9 hitter Michael Chiovitti, who was making his ninth start of the season, laced a two-run double down the rightfield line to put UConn on the board. The Huskies added three more on a balk, an RBI single by Anthony Prato and a one-out grounder to second that brought home John Toppa.
 
Chris Winkel scored on the back end of what could have been an inning-ending double play in the bottom of the fifth, but Prato beat the throw to first, allowing the Huskies to take a 6-2 lead. UConn added a seventh run when the Shockers couldn’t handle Prato’s grounder to short, allowing David Langer to score from third, making it 7-2.
 
Wichita State got one back in the top of the eighth on a sacrifice fly from pinch hitter Noah Croft off of reliever Caleb Wurster.
 
Langer and Michael Woodworth both had two hits for UConn, while Winkel and Paul Gozzo drew three walks each. Wichita State was led by Mason O’Brien at the plate, who posted a 2-for-5 performance with his fourth extra-base hit of the week.
 
2019 American Athletic Conference Baseball Championship
Spectrum Field · Clearwater, Fla.
 
Tuesday, May 21
Game 1: No. 4 UConn 4, No. 5 Houston 3
Game 2: No. 8 Wichita State 6, No. 1 ECU 2
Game 3: No. 2 Cincinnati 11, No. 7 Memphis 6
Game 4: No. 3 Tulane 5, No. 6 UCF 2
 
Wednesday, May 22
Game 5: ECU 13, Houston 2 (Houston eliminated)
Game 6: UCF 8, Memphis 7 (10 innings) (Memphis eliminated)
 
Thursday, May 23
Game 7: UConn 9, Wichita State 7
Game 8: Cincinnati 8, Tulane 4
 
Friday, May 24 | American Digital Network
Game 9: Wichita State 12, ECU 5 (ECU eliminated)
Game 10: UCF 6, Tulane 2 (Tulane eliminated)
 
Saturday, May 25 | American Digital Network
Game 11: UConn 8, Wichita State 3 (Wichita State eliminated)
Game 12: UCF vs. Cincinnati | 47 minutes following Game 11
Game 14: Cincinnati vs. UCF (if necessary) | TBD
 
Sunday, May 26 | Championship | ESPNews
Game 15: Semifinal winners | Noon ET