GREENVILLE — East Carolina captured its second-straight Conference USA Championship title Saturday morning with a 4-1 victory over Tulsa. Junior Priscilla Velasquez, the tournament’s most valuable player, drew a bases-loaded walk and hit a three-run home run to account for all of the Pirates’ runs. She finished the event with seven runs batted in and another scored. Joining Velasquez on the all-tournament team were senior Toni Paisley and a trio of freshmen in Alex Fieldhouse, Jill Jelnick and Jordan Lewis.

The Pirates (39-20) won their sixth-straight C-USA Championship game and became the first team to capture back-to-back C-USA crowns since DePaul in 2004-05. East Carolina is also the lowest seed (No. 5) to claim the title and the first host team to win the championship since Tulsa in 2006.

With the tournament title, East Carolina receives Conference USA’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. It is ECU’s fourth berth in the post-season tournament and third in the last four seasons. The Pirates were in the NCAA Tournament in 1999, falling to Arizona and Southeast Missouri State and returned in 2008, defeating Mississippi Valley State and losing to Louisiana-Lafayette and LSU. A year ago, ECU traveled to Austin, Texas, and advanced to the regional final after beating Iona and Texas.

Paisley earned her third win of the tournament and gave up three hits while striking out eight. She improved to 30-11 this season, moving her into a tie for fifth on the ECU single-year wins chart. The eight whiffs gave her sole possession of 20th on the NCAA Division I career list with 1,259. Paisley finished the event 3-0 with a 0.67 ERA, five walks and 21 strikeouts. Jordan Kinard (9-7) suffered the loss for Tulsa after throwing three innings and allowing four runs on five hits and three walks. She also fanned three. Aimee Creger came in for the final four innings and scattered four hits and a trio of free passes to go along with four strikeouts.

The Pirates jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. After a pop out started the frame, freshman Kristi Oshiro singled to left field. Fieldhouse reached on a fielder’s choice as Oshiro was forced out at second base. Consecutive singles to left field by Lewis and Jasmine Robbins loaded the bases with two down. Velasquez followed with ECU’s 13th bases-loaded walk of the season to force in Fieldhouse for the one-run lead. The game-winning RBI for Velasquez marked the second-straight season in which she drove in the deciding run in the championship contest. A fielder’s choice ended the threat.

Tulsa (43-12) loaded the bases in its half of the first, but failed to push a run across. With one out, Jill Barrett singled to left field and advanced to second when junior Suzanne Riggs had the ball roll under her glove. Samantha Cobb was hit by a pitch and Lacey Middlebrooks drew a walk to load the bases with one out. Paisley struck out Skylar Swanson and retired Kelly Chapman on a foul out to Riggs in left to avoid damage.

East Carolina made it a 4-0 advantage in the top of the third with Velasquez delivering again. After a pop out started the frame, Fieldhouse walked. Lewis flew out to the warning track in center field, but Robbins picked up the second walk of the frame to put runners on first and second with two outs. Velasquez then cleared the bases with a home run to left. Riggs reached on an infield single, but a strikeout allowed Kinard to escape.

In the top of the fourth, the Pirates had another chance to score, but failed to convert. Freshman Chelsea Kaluhiokalni-Glackin opened the frame with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt. Oshiro followed with her second hit of the game, a single through the left side that put runners on the corners. The hit marked Oshiro’s team-leading 16th multiple-hit game of the season. A foul out on a suicide squeeze attempt and grounder up the middle left both runners stranded.

Tulsa got a run back in the bottom of the frame on a solo home run to left field by Chapman.

The Pirates left another pair stranded in the top of the fifth. Robbins led off with a single to center and Velasquez moved her over with a sacrifice bunt. Riggs struck out swinging and senior pinch hitter Sissy Jimenez drew a walk to put runners on first and second with two down. Another strikeout allowed Creger to leave the pair stranded.

ECU had another chance to score in the top of the sixth, but could not convert. Jelnick led off with a single through the left side and Oshiro walked. A sacrifice bunt by Fieldhouse moved the pair up a base, but a groundout and foul out kept the pair on base.

Paisley retired the Golden Hurricane in order in the sixth and seventh to seal the victory.

The Pirates now wait to see where they will head to the NCAA Tournament when the selection show airs Sunday at 10:00 p.m. on ESPNU.

2011 Conference USA All-Tournament Team

P ą Toni Paisley, East Carolina

P ą Aimee Creger,╩Tulsa

C ą Haley Outon, Houston

INF ą Alex Fieldhouse, East Carolina

INF ą Kelly Chapman, Tulsa

INF ą Samantha Cobb, Tulsa

OF ą Jill Jelnick, East Carolina

OF ą Ashley Jones, Houston

OF ą Caitlin Everett, Tulsa

UTL ą Jordan Lewis, East Carolina

UTL ą Alexis Hurley, Southern Miss

MVP ą Priscilla Velasquez, East Carolina