CLEARWATER, FL — East Carolina withstood a Rice threat in the ninth inning for an 8-7 win in an elimination game in the American Athletic Conference tournament at BayCare Ballpark on Friday.

The Pirates (42-14) will meet Wichita State (31-27) on Saturday at 9 a.m.

ECU will need to win the morning matchup with the Shockers and take a subsequent contest with Wichita State later on Saturday to reach the AAC championship game on Sunday.

The Pirates built early leads of 6-0 and 7-1 during Zach Root’s three innings on the mound after a month’s absence for an injury.

ECU took a 3-0 lead in the first with a run-scoring double by Jacob Starling and RBI singles by Cam Clonch and Justin Wilcoxen.

Ryan McCrystal drove in a run with a double in the second and Starling brought in two runs with a single to right.

McCrystal drove in a run in the third with a single to center.

Kyte McDonald had a solo homer for the Owls in a 3-run fifth.

Rice (23-36) had closed within 7-6 when Joey Berini’s single to right allowed Jacob Jenkins-Cowart to score in the seventh.

In the top of the ninth, Danny Beal got a game-ending ground out after the Owls had put the potential go-ahead run on base.

Beal got his fourth save and Colby Wallace (2-0) got the win with two frames of scoreless relief.

McCrystal went 3-for-5 with a pair of RBIs. Starling had two hits and drove in three.

The Pirates went 5-0 against the Owls over a brief period dating back to May 16.

ECU coach Cliff Godwin served the first game of a 2-game suspension assessed on Thursday.

Sophomore third baseman Dixon Williams sat out Friday but is eligible to play Saturday morning.