DURHAM, N.C. (Interstat) – North Carolina and Duke meet Saturday afternoon in the decisive game of a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series at Durham Bulls Athletic Park. The Tar Heels (35-8-1) and Blue Devils (23-22) split the first two games of the series, with Duke winning 3-1 on Friday and North Carolina taking Thursday’s opener 3-1.

North Carolina is projected to start right-hander Ryan Lynch, who threw 7.0 shutout innings with nine strikeouts in Friday’s loss. In five previous starts this season, Lynch allowed zero earned runs in three of them but also surrendered five earned runs against Notre Dame. Duke counters with right-hander Peter Lemke, who earned the win Friday with 7.2 innings, allowing one earned run on five hits. Lemke has been inconsistent, allowing six earned runs in 1.2 innings at North Carolina State on April 11.

The Tar Heels enter with a 35-8-1 overall record, including a 14-4 win over Georgia Tech on April 18 and a 9-2 win over High Point on April 21. Duke has lost four of its last six games, including a 13-10 defeat to Liberty on Tuesday. The Blue Devils are 23-22 overall.

Interstat’s game simulator projects an 8-1 North Carolina win, and its ELO system gives the Tar Heels a 66.50 percent probability of winning. The two teams will meet again Sunday in Chapel Hill, but for now the series is tied 1-1. Lynch, who has a 1.69 ERA over his last four starts, will try to give North Carolina a series win. Lemke, who has a 3.86 ERA in his last three starts, will attempt to keep Duke’s momentum going.

The forecast for game time calls for temperatures around 70 degrees with partly cloudy skies. First pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m.