We're at the midway point of the college baseball season, and the landscape of the sport is ever-changing. A few of the teams we're on tonight have had atypical first halves, but their talent will be on full display.
I've got my sights on LSU vs. Tennessee and Charlotte vs. East Carolina.
Let's dive into my two college baseball picks and NCAA baseball best bets for Friday, April 3.
College Baseball Picks, Predictions
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that Action Network's Doug Ziefel is targeting from today's slate of NCAA baseball games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 5:30 p.m. | |
  | 6 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NCAAB Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
LSU vs Tennessee Pick
It has not been the season many envisioned for either the LSU Tigers or the Tennessee Volunteers. LSU is the reigning national champion, and Tennessee was an annual contender under now-Giants manager Tony Vitello.
Well, the perception of both these programs is very different as they each enter this series outside D1Baseball's Top 25. The real note that marks the struggles of both these teams is that they each have losing records in SEC play.
This series is an opportunity for both teams to turn the tide, but it's clear the Volunteers are being undervalued.
These teams are very similar on paper, as they've posted identical numbers in wRC+ and wOBA.
The same can even be said about both starting pitchers. LSU's Casan Evans enters with a 4.80 ERA, a 2.01 SIERA and a 38% strikeout rate. Tennessee's Landon Mack holds a 3.38 ERA, a 3.50 SIERA and a 27.9% strikeout rate.
The separator in this matchup is the Vols' pitching depth out of the bullpen. Tennessee, has been tremendous as a staff, holding a team WHIP of 1.11 and a SIERA of 2.54.
We should see Tennessee edge this game out and begin to build some momentum down the stretch.
Pick: Tennessee ML +105
  |  |
Charlotte vs East Carolina Pick
The thing about the Easter weekend slate is that with a number of series beginning Thursday, we have a number of Friday night starters throwing in Game 2 of the series to keep them on schedule.
Two of those aces will take the mound in Greenville, North Carolina.
Ethan Norby takes the ball for ECU, and he has found it after a rough start to his season. When he's right, Norby is the best left-hander in the country.
Considering that he's coming off an outing in which he threw seven shutout innings, allowing one hit and striking out 12 against UTSA, I'd say he's in good form.
On the other side of this matchup, Charlotte's Eddie Copper has been tremendous in his own right. The junior enters with a 2.61 ERA, a 2.81 SIERA and a 31.7% strikeout rate.
This ECU lineup is a bit of a step-up in competition for Copper, but overall, the Pirates' bats have underwhelmed against above-average pitching.
Look for Norby and Copper to deal as this one stays under the total.
Pick: Under 10.5
