CLEARWATER, FL - Fueled by a walk-off three-run bottom of the ninth inning, the eighth-seeded East Carolina Pirates stormed back to squeeze past fourth-seeded USF 6-5 on Thursday night in the winner’s bracket of the American Athletic Conference Championship at Spectrum Field.
Trailing 5-3, the Pirates (31-27) had the ball leave the infield only once in their final at-bat inning to secure the walk-off victory. USF righthander Joe Cavallaro threw 67 pitches in 3.1 innings of work, but was handed the loss when Pirates pinch-hitter Kirk Morgan put down a sacrifice squeeze bunt to the score the game-winning run from third base.