Florida State vs. North Carolina: Tuesday, June 18, 2024

FLORIDA STATE VS. NORTH CAROLINA: TUESDAY, JUNE 18, 2024 — The ACC hasn’t been able to give us this matchup for two years. And now these league rivals meet as the last two teams standing from the ACC, trying to both keep their own seasons alive and deny the SEC an all-SEC final series.

Thanks to the way the bracket broke down, Florida State and North Carolina ended up on the same side of the bracket with Tennessee and Virginia. The Seminoles just missed beating the Volunteers, while the Tar Heels weren’t even close after escaping the Cavaliers on Day 1.

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But this game is a totally different beast than the first two games, because both teams are down their starters. North Carolina used Jason DeCaro and Shea Sprague, while Florida State has gone through Jamie Arnold and Carson Dorsey. Both teams can bring their starters back against Tennessee, but they’ve got to survive this matchup first.

And that makes this an interesting matchup of contrasting styles, as Florida State brings the bats while Carolina has the pitching. The Tar Heels led the ACC in ERA, while the Seminoles topped the conference in home runs and ranked second in batting average. Florida State’s bullpen is a little suspect, however, which could make it difficult for the Seminoles to hold on here.

The Odds

First Pitch

When: Tuesday, June 18 at 2 p.m. EST

Where: Charles Schwab Field, Omaha, Neb. 

TV: ESPN

Players to Watch

How will Florida State handle Vance Honeycutt? Virginia made the mistake of pitching to him with a base open on Day 1, and the outfielder made the Cavaliers pay. Honeycutt has easily been the Heels’ hottest hitter, and Carolina’s lineup isn’t quite as stacked as the Seminoles’ bats. He’s driven in runs in five straight games, and he had the only RBI Carolina got against Tennessee.

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Jaime Ferrer blasted two home runs against Virginia, resulting in four RBIs. The Seminoles’ lineup has been dominant one through five in the postseason, with likely top picks Cam Smith and James Tibbs leading the way. With the pitching far more questionable than the Heels, the Seminoles have to get the bats rolling. Florida State’s back end of the bullpen couldn’t close out Tennessee, and the Seminoles had problems with Connecticut in the Super Regionals.

The Prediction

The biggest worry for the Seminoles is that the pitching will let them down. Florida State’s pitching has been an Achilles’ heel all season, as it’s blown up at inopportune times. North Carolina’s tendency to win games in the final at-bat isn’t ideal for a team that has trouble getting the last nine outs of the game.

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The Heels have already shown their ability to pull games out of the fire against Long Island, West Virginia and Virginia. This might be a live bet opportunity, as the Seminoles are likely to take the lead in the early few innings. But when the bullpens get involved, the Tar Heels have the edge.