PITTSBURGH (Interstat) — The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Pittsburgh Panthers open a three-game Atlantic Coast Conference series Thursday night at Petersen Sports Complex, with both teams looking to build momentum in the middle of May.

First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m., with the forecast calling for rain and a temperature of 62 degrees.

Notre Dame (28-20) enters the game following a 16-6 win Tuesday over Dayton. Pittsburgh (29-21) also won Tuesday, beating Penn State 11-7. The Panthers hold a one-game edge over the Irish in the overall standings entering the series.

The Irish will rely on a surging offense and the hot bat of center fielder Drew Berkland. In his past 10 games, Berkland is batting .391 (18 for 46) with nine home runs and 22 RBIs. He hit two home runs and drove in four runs in Tuesday’s victory and has homered in four of his last five games. Berkland has driven in multiple runs in six of his last seven contests, including a three-RBI game in a 5-3 win over Central Michigan on April 28.

Pittsburgh will counter with right fielder Lorenzo Carrier, who went 4 for 5 with three runs scored in Tuesday’s win over Penn State. Carrier has been productive but inconsistent of late. He has hits in three of his last four games but has gone hitless in three of his last seven. He recorded three RBIs in a 7-3 win over Virginia on April 26 and homered in each of the first two games of a series at Florida State on May 2.

The Panthers have lost six of their last seven games after a series sweep at North Carolina and a series loss at Florida State. Pittsburgh’s pitching staff has allowed 10 or more runs in four of those losses. Notre Dame’s offense has scored at least nine runs in four of its last five games and has won seven of eight.

Interstat’s game simulator projects an 8-3 Notre Dame victory.

The series continues Friday and Saturday. Both teams have a day off after Thursday’s opener before playing the final two games of the set. Notre Dame will start a right-handed pitcher Thursday; Pittsburgh had not announced its starter as of Wednesday.