CHARLOTTE, N.C. (Interstat) — The Atlantic Coast Conference baseball tournament opens Friday with a matchup between the No. 4-seeded Florida State Seminoles and the No. 8-seeded Pittsburgh Panthers at Truist Field.

Florida State (38-16) enters the double-elimination tournament as one of the league’s hottest teams, having won six of its last nine games. The Seminoles swept Pittsburgh in a three-game series May 2-3 in Tallahassee, outscoring the Panthers 24-10. In that series, Florida State won 10-1 and 8-5 in a doubleheader May 2 before taking the finale 6-4 on May 3.

Pittsburgh (32-23) closed the regular season with a 7-4 win at Wake Forest on Wednesday, bouncing back from a 21-10 loss to Notre Dame on May 16. The Panthers went 5-5 in their final 10 games.

Two starting pitchers are expected to be key factors.

For Pittsburgh, right-hander Drew Lafferty (5.0 IP, 0 H, 3 ER, 2 K in his last outing at Wake Forest) has had an uneven stretch. In his previous four starts, Lafferty allowed at least three earned runs each time, including a 4.1-inning, three-earned-run performance against the Seminoles on May 3. He also struggled against North Carolina (4 ER in 5.1 IP) and Notre Dame (4 ER in 5.1 IP). However, he showed command against Virginia on April 26, allowing one earned run in 4.2 innings.

For Florida State, right-hander Bryson Moore (7.2 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 K in a May 16 loss to Miami) has been reliable. He tossed six shutout innings against Clemson on May 10 (0 H, 1 ER, 4 K) and worked 3.1 innings against Pittsburgh on May 3, allowing three earned runs. Moore has completed at least six innings in three of his last four starts.

The Seminoles’ offense has been potent. Catcher Nathan Cmeyla went 3-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs in the May 16 loss to Miami, and second baseman Noah Sheffield added a homer. Florida State scored 11 runs in an eight-inning win over Miami on May 15.

Pittsburgh’s bullpen has been effective. Against Wake Forest, relievers Daniel McAuliff (2.2 IP, 0 H, 1 ER, 2 K) and Eddie Smink (0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER) combined to close the game.

The game is scheduled for a 3 p.m. start. The forecast calls for partly cloudy skies with temperatures in the low 80s.

Interstat’s game simulator gives Florida State a 7-4 edge.