We are officially in the second half of the college baseball season, and as the game counts down, the pressure gets higher.
I've zeroed in on a few of the biggest series of the weekend.
Let's dive into my three NCAA baseball predictions and college baseball best bets for Friday, April 10.
NCAA Baseball Predictions, Best Bets
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 6 p.m. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 7 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. | ||
North Carolina vs Clemson
The North Carolina Tar Heels have been rolling and primed to battle the Clemson Tigers this weekend. UNC ace Jason DeCaro gets the ball, and the junior has been nothing but stellar.
DeCaro has pitched to a 2.20 ERA over 41 innings pitched. While his 4.22 SIERA suggests that he's due for some regression, it likely won't come tonight as oddsmakers have great confidence in him with the Tar Heels hovering around -250 favorites.
The reason UNC is favored so heavily despite these teams being similar on paper has to do with the Tigers' recent struggles. Clemson's pitching has scuffled over the past few weeks.
They got back on track last weekend against Stanford, but that was their first series win since the beginning of March when they swept La Salle. ACC play has been rough on the Tigers, but this is a spot where they should play hard at home behind their ace, Aidan Knaak.
Knaack has been far better than his 4.62 ERA portrays. He comes into this outing with a 2.17 SIERA and a dominant 35.7 percent strikeout rate.
Look for him to pitch with determination and duel with DeCaro as this conference matchup stays under the total.
Pick: Under 10.5 (Play to -130 or Under 10)
| | |
Wake Forest vs Miami
Miami was a team I was high on entering the season, as they boasted one of the most talented lineups in the nation. They have lived up to that hype, putting up the second-most runs in the country while posting a team wRC+ of 137.
However, at the collegiate level, elite pitching can be the equalizer between two clubs, and that's what the Hurricanes will see tonight in the form of Wake Forest's ace Chris Levonas.
Levonas was recently touted as the ACC Midseason Pitcher of the Year, and it's easy to see why. He is 7-1 with a 2.09 ERA and an incredible 42.4 percent strikeout rate.
Levonas has shown no signs of regression and should be up to the task against this daunting Hurricanes lineup.
Getting run support for Levonas will be no easy task, however. Left-hander Rob Evans has taken command of Miami's Friday night role by pitching to a 3.43 ERA and holding a tremendous 2.55 SIERA.
Although if the Demon Deacons can get to the Hurricanes' bullpen, that's where the best scoring opportunities will lie. Miami's bullpen is the worst of the two in this matchup, with a 4.30 ERA and a strikeout per nine rate of just 10.9.
There's plenty of variance in pitchers' duels, and it will likely come down to which lineup can rally last. Wake Forest has the pitching edge, which makes them a live underdog tonight.
Pick: Wake Forest ML -110
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Texas vs Texas A&M
You'd be hard-pressed to find two hotter teams not only in the state of Texas, but in the entire country than the two set meet in College Station tonight. The No. 2-ranked Texas Longhorns have yet to lose a series this season, and we shouldn't plan for them to start now.
For the Longhorns, it all starts on the mound as they hold the second-best staff ERA in the country at 3.02. What's most remarkable about that ERA is that it's come against the 11th hardest schedule in the country thus far.
The schedule doesn't get any easier as the Texas A&M Aggies can swing it with the best of them, boasting a team wRC+ of 136 and wOBA of .422. Although the Longhorns have plenty of elite arms to battle with, it starts with senior Ruger Rojas.
Rojas has unlocked another level as he's been throwing harder than ever before. His uptick in velocity has led to dominant results, posting a 2.77 ERA and 39.1 percent strikeout rate while showing no signs of slowing down with a 1.49 SIERA.
Lefty Shane Sdao is on the other side of this pitching matchup, and he's due for plenty of positive regression. His 2.72 SIERA is far more telling of how well he's pitched than his 5.51 ERA portrays.
However, the issue is Sdao is far from an elite strikeout artist, and allowing contact is troublesome against a quality lineup can prove to be troublesome.
Look for Texas to scratch out some runs early and hold the lead from there. Their pitching depth will lead them to another Friday night win.
Pick: Texas ML -140
