PEARL — Michael Busby won’t get the start, but he will be available in relief for UAB in today’s Conference USA title game.

UAB coach Brian Shoop said Busby, a Porters Chapel Academy product, will be in the bullpen against Memphis. The winner of the 1 p.m. title game at Trustmark Park will earn the C-USA’s automatic NCAA Tournament bid.

The Blazers (31-28) sought to save pitching in Saturday’s pod-play finale with East Carolina (35-22-1) and lost 10-3. UAB used three pitchers who had thrown a combined 35 innings this season.

“We’re in fine shape for the championship game,” Shoop said. “Michael Busby will not start but will for sure pitch in relief. We’ll probably start Ryan Nance.”

The C-USA title game will be the third championship game of Busby’s baseball career. He won a state title for PCA in 2006 under coach Randy Wright. He came back in 2010 to help Hinds Community College win a MACJC title at Smith-Wills Stadium. He did not pitch that entire season, instead playing first base for coach Sam Temple’s Eagles and hitting .324.

On Saturday, East Carolina broke a 3-3 game with Zach Wright’s RBI single in the eighth. The Pirates blew it open in the ninth with six runs for a 10-3 lead.

Corey Thompson, John Wooten and Zach Wright all three hits to lead East Carolina. Jeff Hoffman went seven innings to grab the win.

UCF 6, Tulane 2

Former Vicksburg star Bowen Woodson had a hit and a walk, but it wasn’t enough for the Green Wave (38-20) to beat No. 2 seed Central Florida Saturday in the two teams’ tournament finale. The Knights (43-15) scored three runs in the top of the eighth inning to break a 2-2 game. The win was Central Florida’s second in pod play and, while they did not advance to today’s finals, they are largely assured a bid to the NCAA Tournament next week.