CLEARWATER, FL — East Carolina split a pair of games with Wichita State in the American Athletic Conference Tournament at BayCare Ballpark on Saturday.

ECU took a dramatic 5-4 win over the Shockers in the morning on a game-ending steal of home by Dixon Williams, but a 12-2 loss in eight innings later in the day knocked the AAC regular season champions out of the league event.

“Our guys were pitching on fumes,” said Pirates coach Cliff Godwin on the ECU radio network. “If we had made it to the championship game, we might have had to pitch some position players.”

Wichita State (32-28) will meet Tulane (34-24) for the AAC tournament on Sunday at noon (ESPN News).

The Pirates (43-15) will learn Sunday if Greenville will be one of 16 host sites for the NCAA tournament regionals.

The Pirates trailed 4-2 going to the bottom of the ninth on Saturday morning. Jacob Jenkins-Cowart doubled to start the inning and Luke Nowak singled to put runners at first and third. A sacrifice fly by Justin Wilcoxen cut the lead to 4-3.

Williams singled to right before a sac fly by Jory Berini tied the score.

Ryley Johnson walked and a wild pitch allowed Williams to move to third. Carter Cunningham walked to load the bases.

Williams broke for home as Wichita State pitcher Nate Adler had his head down to read the pitch chart on his wrist. The speedy Williams beat the throw to the plate with a head first dive.

Danny Beal (7-2) got the win in relief.

Walker Barron had a solo homer for ECU in the seventh. Jenkins-Cowart had two doubles and scored two runs. Wilcoxen had two RBIs.

In the second game, ECU pitchers Corey Costello (0-1), Jaden Winter, Charlie Hodges and Chris Kahler combined to allow nine hits and 12 runs (six earned) with 10 walks, one hit batter and 13 strikeouts.

Lane Haworth had a 3-run homer in the fifth for a 9-2 Shockers advantage.

Jenkins-Cowart had a solo homer for the Pirates in the fourth to cut the lead to 5-2.