It's Friday and, unfortunately, we lost a few aces to the series starting on Thursday. But there are still plenty of live arms raring to go. That said, tonight, we're looking for offense with a pair of ACC plays and a nightcap down south.
So, without further ado, let's get this college baseball betting party started.
College Baseball Odds, Picks, Predictions
Virginia vs. Miami
7 p.m. ET
This matchup kicks off the weekend's marquee series as the No. 3 Cavaliers head south the take on the No. 8 Hurricanes.
Virginia has been one of the hottest teams in the country this season as the Cavaliers bring the thunder wherever they go, slashing .336/.443./.549 as a team. Those gaudy numbers have led to 318 runs on the strength of 47 homers.
In addition, Jake Gelof has become one of the best hitters in the country as he is batting .437 with 14 homers, 53 RBIs and an on-base percentage of .534 in 29 games this season.
While the offense has been otherworldly, Virginia is not 26-3 by just out-slugging everyone. They have plenty of quality arms as well. As of writing on Friday morning, there are no announced starters. However, it may not matter. The Cavaliers have the fourth-best team ERA in the country at 2.84.
Now, Virginia may be tasked with Miami's ace, Carson Palmquist. He has been tremendous in his own right, although it is challenging to keep this lineup quiet for long. And given the gap between each of these team's bullpens, the Cavaliers' edge only increases, so back them to take the series opener.
Pick: Virginia ML -145
NC State vs. Virginia Tech
7 p.m. ET
We're staying with the great state of Virginia as two high-powered offensive clubs are set to square off.
The Wolfpack have rebounded nicely from their two-week skid, working their way back into the top 25 with series wins over Georgia Tech and Clemson. Their bounce back is a direct result to their bats waking up. For the season, they're slashing .303/.389.499 as a team while averaging just under eight runs.
They'll also be up against the Hokies Griffing Green in this matchup. Green has had a fine season, but he is not an overpowering pitcher as he has only 24 strikeouts over 32 innings and a relatively high OBA of .273.
If you like offense, then you'll like this Virginia Tech team. The Hokies have used their bats to take down the likes of North Carolina and Notre Dame. They average over nine runs per contest, and their slash line is tremendous as the Hokies have produced a .322 team batting average, a .425 on-base percentage, and a .609 slugging percentage.
Just like their counterparts, the Hokies will go up against another pitcher who does not overwhelm hitters. NC State's Logan Whittaker has been dazzling through five starts with a 1.82 ERA and a .161 OBA. However, with just 22 strikeouts in 24 innings, Whittaker seems to have been very fortunate on the balls that have been put in play.
With both of these lineups set to make a lot of quality contact, I see plenty of runs going up on the scoreboard. So take the over and enjoy the fireworks.
Pick: Over 12.5
TCU vs. Texas
7:30 p.m. ET
The Big 12 gives us another ranked affair as the No. 7 Longhorns host the No. 23 ranked Horned Frogs. Texas had hit a snag against Texas Tech where they were out-slugged in that series and then carried it over into another loss against Texas A&M.
It seems that the loss of starting pitcher Tanner Witt has impacted this team more than initially thought. However, pitching is not a concern for the Longhorns in this matchup. Their ace Pete Hansen will toe the slab in this matchup, and he has been stupendous this season. The lefty is 5-0 with a 2.51 ERA and a .199 opponent batting average.
While having your ace on the mound is a plus, the significant advantage for the Longhorns in this one is at the dish. It is no secret that Texas is one of the best offenses in the nation behind Ivan Melendez, aka "The Hispanic Titanic." Texas is slashing .321/.413/.542 as a team.
The Longhorns will be facing TCU's Riley Cornelio, who has been excellent this season, pitching to a record of 3-1 with a 3.10 ERA and 0.93 WHIP. However, just as the case with Virginia, it is hard to contain this offense for nine innings, and it will put up runs eventually.
Massey Ratings has the Longhorns pegged to win by 2.5 runs, which means this line should be much higher than it is, and we'll gladly take the value on one of the best programs in the country.
Pick: Texas ML -175
