LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Interstat) — Virginia visits Louisville on Thursday afternoon in an Atlantic Coast Conference series opener at Jim Patterson Stadium, with the Cavaliers seeking to solidify their postseason resume against a Cardinals team looking to climb above .500.

Virginia (34-18) enters the 4 p.m. matchup after a 16-6 victory over Richmond on Tuesday. Louisville (28-25) defeated Bellarmine 14-7 the same day. The forecast calls for clear skies and 73 degrees at first pitch.

The Cavaliers are projected as slight favorites. Interstat’s game simulator predicts a 5-3 Virginia win, and its ELO system gives the Cavaliers a 56.20 percent probability of victory.

Outfielder Harrison Didawick leads a Virginia lineup that has produced runs in recent weeks. In Tuesday’s win, Didawick went 3-for-6 with four RBI. Over his past 10 games, he has collected hits in six, including a home run and three RBI against Radford on May 3. He also drove in two runs in the second game of that doubleheader.

Didawick’s production has been inconsistent against tougher competition — he went 1-for-4 in a 7-8 loss to California on May 10 and 0-for-3 in a 2-1 win the next day — but his ability to drive in runs gives Virginia a dangerous presence in the middle of the order.

Louisville counter with second baseman Kade Elam, who powered the Cardinals’ win over Bellarmine with two home runs and three RBI on a 2-for-4 day. Elam has been hot at the plate: he went 2-for-5 in a 10-8 loss at Miami on May 9 and 2-for-4 in a 16-9 win over the Hurricanes on May 8. However, he has also endured cold stretches, going hitless in three of his past six games, including an 0-for-4 in a 7-5 loss at Miami on May 7.

Elam’s power — he homered against Vanderbilt on May 5 — makes him a threat in a Cardinals lineup that has scored at least seven runs in four of its past six games.

The series continues with games Friday and Saturday, both at Jim Patterson Stadium. Virginia has won four of its past six games overall, while Louisville has lost three of its last four.

For the Cavaliers, first baseman Antonio Perrotta drove in three runs on a home run Tuesday, and center fielder AJ Gracia added a home run and two RBI. The team’s pitching staff will need to contain a Cardinals offense that has shown it can score in bunches.

Louisville will rely on Elam and a defense that has allowed six or more runs in seven of its past 10 games. The Cardinals have struggled against ACC opponents, going 12-18 in conference play. Virginia is 16-12 in the ACC.