GREENVILLE, N.C. (Interstat) — South Florida visits East Carolina on Friday night in an American Athletic Conference series opener at Clark-LeClair Stadium, with first pitch set for 6 p.m. under clear skies and 83-degree heat.

The Bulls (28-12) hold the stronger overall record but enter as underdogs. Interstat’s ELO system gives East Carolina a 70.1 percent probability of winning, projecting a 6-5 final. The Pirates (25-16) have won four of their last six.

South Florida counters with right-hander Edwin Alicea, who brings mixed form. He struck out three over two perfect innings of relief in Tuesday’s 6-5 win at Stetson but allowed six earned runs in his previous two starts combined. In his best outing this season, Alicea tossed seven shutout innings against Memphis on April 2. The Bulls have won three of their last five.

East Carolina leans on catcher Michael Kalinich, who drove in four runs Tuesday in a 19-9 rout at Old Dominion. Kalinich has two home runs and eight RBIs over his last six games, though he struggled in mid-April, going hitless in three straight starts against Wichita State and North Carolina State. The Pirates are 4-2 in their last six.

The American Athletic rivals will play two more games this weekend before heading into May conference matchups.