2 in 9th lift UConn over Wichita State

CLEARWATER, Fla. — The UConn baseball team rallied to remain unbeaten in the AAC tournament, scoring two runs in the top of the ninth to defeat Wichita State 9-7 on Thursday.

The win earns the fourth-seeded Huskies Friday off as they await a semifinal on Saturday at 10 a.m. against the winner of an elimination game between the No. 8 Shockers and top seed East Carolina.

With the game tied at 7-7, John Toppa led off the ninth with a single to leftcenter and moved to second on a base hit by Anthony Prato. After Mike Woodworth moved the runners up with a sacrifice bunt, Pat Winkel came through with a single to right to score Toppa.

A grounder to short by Paul Gozzo brought home Prato with an insurance run.

UConn starter Mason Feole struggled, allowing four runs on five hits and four walks.

But the Huskies’ bullpen came through as Caleb Wurster (4-1) pitched a scoreless eighth for the win and Jacob Wallace the ninth for his 15th save.

Toppa had two hits, two RBI and two runs scored for UConn (35-22). Pat and Chris Winkel each had two hits and two RBI. Pat Winkel had his sixth home run of the season, a solo shot in the second.

UConn moves onto Sunday’s championship game with a win on Saturday morning. A loss and the Huskies would face the same opponent in a second game Saturday with the winner then moving onto Sunday.

UConn has won five of its last six games and scored six or more runs four times in that span. During the run Pat Winkel, the freshman catcher, is hitting .444 with 13 RBI.