Tuesday's midweek slate was not great, as Oklahoma and USC didn't come through for us. However, Friday's slate presents a big opportunity to bounce back, and we're going to do just that with our best bets.
I'm eyeing two matchups for Friday's slate: a cross-country Big Ten conference play opener and an SEC vs. Sun Belt showdown in the state of Alabama.
Let's dive into my college baseball picks and NCAA baseball predictions for the games on Friday, March 7.
College Baseball Picks for Friday, March 7
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 4 p.m. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Check out more college baseball content throughout the season on our NCAA baseball page. | ||
UCLA vs. Maryland Pick
The Maryland Terrapins kick off their first Big Ten series of the year by hosting the UCLA Bruins on Friday night.
UCLA comes into this matchup rolling. The Bruins own a 10-3 record on the year and have been solid on the mound as a team.
However, Maryland holds the edge in this matchup, both on the mound and at the dish. The Terrapins have been raking, ranking 25th in wRC+ and 54th in team batting average.
They also sit 38th in walk rate, which is important because they need to be disciplined against Bruins starter Cody Delvecchio.
Delvechhio has shown great stuff in his outings this season, but his lack of command has cost him dearly. He comes into this outing averaging 4.6 walks per nine innings and has a 1.63 WHIP.
So, while his strikeout rate is high, his 10.03 ERA is set to increase even more if he can't get ahead of these Maryland hitters.
On the other side of this matchup is Maryland starter Kyle McCoy. McCoy has been excellent to start the season, entering this outing with a 1.06 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in 17 innings pitched.
While the Bruins lineup should be his stiffest test to date, McCoy isn't due for much regression and should fare well with ample run support.
Back Maryland to cover the run line.
Pick: Maryland +2.5 (-133)
| |
Old Dominion vs. Auburn Pick
The Auburn Tigers have been a fun team to back thus far. They've played their way into the top 25 rankings by going 11-2 and doing so with authority.
The Tigers are seeing the ball well as a club, ranking 22nd in wRC+, 28th in OPS, and have the eighth-lowest team strikeout rate in the country. They're set to have a good day against Old Dominion starter Ben Moore.
Moore is winless through three starts and has been very fortunate to work around command issues. Moore ranks 420th in walks per nine innings and has an xFIP of 4.64, which suggests some sizable regression from his season ERA of 3.55.
As for the Tigers on the mound, Samuel Dutton has been lights-out, and the Monarchs are not the team that's going to flip the switch against him. Dutton enters this outing with a 0.56 ERA and a 1.74 SIERA and is averaging 12.9 strikeouts per nine innings.
He gets to face one of the worst lineups in the country, with Old Dominion hitting just .232 as a team and ranking 61st in wRC+. Look for the Tigers to cruise and potentially add another run-rule victory to their resume while covering the spread.
