CLEARWATER, Fla. – Top-seeded East Carolina defeated No. 8 seed Rice, 8-7, in an elimination game on Friday afternoon, May 24, at the 2024 American Baseball Championship presented by Regions at Bay Care Ballpark in Clearwater, Fla.
 
With the win, East Carolina (42-14) advances to the semifinals on Saturday, May 24. 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: Charlotte vs. Florida Atlantic | 4:45 p.m. | ESPN+
 
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.