'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
On Friday afternoon, game 1 of the 2024 College World Series will see the North Carolina Tar Heels face the Virginia Cavaliers at 2 p.m. ET. This battle of Atlantic Coast Conference foes will see which team advances to the winner's bracket and which team attempts to stave off elimination in the loser's bracket in this double-elimination portion.
The Tar Heels were able to sweep the West Virginia Mountaineers in the Chapel Hill Super Regionals. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers swept the Charlottesville Super Regionals against the Kansas State Wildcats.
Virginia will send sophomore southpaw Evan Blanco (8-3, 3.69 ERA) to the mound. The team is coming off a win over the Kansas State Wildcats. In that game, Blanco pitched seven innings and allowed four runs on five hits with one hit by pitch, one walk and nine strikeouts.
Trending
North Carolina will counter with junior lefty Shea Sprague (3-1, 4.00 ERA). He gave up five runs (four earned) on seven hits with zero walks and six strikeouts in five innings.
Which team can avoid being in the loser's bracket in the double-elimination portion of the College World Series?
Virginia vs. North Carolina baseball betting odds
How to watch Virginia vs. North Carolina
This game between two Atlantic Coast Conference foes will air on linear television and can be streamed too. The game will be shown on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live Sports and Sling.
Virginia vs. North Carolina prediction
The Virginia Cavaliers have proven to be the better overall team by winning the regular season series 2-1 at the beginning of April. If the Tar Heels have a similar offensive performance to what they had in the super regionals, it will be difficult to see them win here.
Virginia averaged 8.5 runs in their two games in the super regionals, while North Carolina scored a combined 10 runs. Sprague struggled in his last start with five runs in five innings. So, go with the Cavs to win this game and begin the College World Series.
Prediction: Virginia Cavaliers -135
Highest-paid college baseball coach, who? More on the top 10 highest-paid head coaches in 2024
