By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Two victories away from a postseason title in the American Baseball Championship, the UTSA Roadrunners will start senior Gunnar Brown against the East Carolina Pirates at Clearwater, Fla.

The game is set for 9 a.m. central time at the BayCare Ballpark.

Brown, a 6-4 righthander from Houston Episcopal High School, is 2-0 with a 6.10 earned run average. He’ll face East Carolina lefthander Luke Payne, who comes in at 3-1, 4.82.

The game is regarded as crucial to UTSA’s hopes of returning to the NCAA tournament.

If the Roadrunners lose, they would be forced to play later Saturday against either the UAB Blazers or the Wichita State Shockers to reach Sunday’s championship game.

At the same time, if the Roadrunners come through the losers bracket, they’d be playing a fourth game for the title, while the Pirates would be on only their third game.

The postseason winner in the American earns an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, which opens next week, but for the runner up, there are no guarantees for an at-large bid.

American Baseball Championship
At Clearwater, Fla.
(All times central)

Wednesday

Game 1 – No. 7 Wichita State beats No. 6 FAU, 3-2
Game 2 – No. 5 Memphis beats No. 8 Charlotte, 13-9

Thursday

Game 3 – No. 3 Rice beats No. 7 Wichita State, 5-4
Game 4 – No. 5 Memphis beats No. 4 UAB, 7-3

Friday

Game 5 – No. 2 East Carolina beats No. 3 Rice, 4-3
Game 6 – No. 1 UTSA beats No. 5 Memphis, 4-0
Game 7 – No. 4 UAB beats No. 3 Rice, 9-6 (Rice is eliminated)
Game 8 – No. 7 Wichita State beats No. 5 Memphis, 6-4

Saturday

Game 9 – No. 2 East Carolina vs. No. 1 UTSA, 9 a.m.
Game 10 – UAB vs. Wichita State, 47 minutes afterward
Game 11 – Game 10 winner vs. Game 9 loser, 47 minutes afterward

Sunday

Game 12 – Game 9 winner vs. Game 11 winner, 11 a.m.

Eliminated

Rice, FAU, Charlotte, Memphis

Records

UTSA 37-19
East Carolina 34-21-1
Rice 35-24
UAB 32-25
Memphis 24-34
FAU 28-28
Wichita State 30-28
Charlotte 28-28