NC State vs. UCF in NCAA Tournament opener

AUBURN, Ala. (Interstat) — The seed North Carolina State Wolfpack (32-22) face the seed UCF Knights (31-21) on Friday, May 29, in the opening round of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship at Plainsman Park. First pitch is scheduled for a time to be determined, with weather conditions forecast for game time.

NC State enters the postseason after a 21-12 loss to Duke on May 19, a game in which designated hitter Dalton Bargo went 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs. Bargo, a key bat in the Wolfpack lineup, has been productive over his past seven games, including a 3-for-5 outing with an RBI at Stanford on May 10 and a 2-for-4 performance with an RBI at Stanford on May 9. He also had a 2-for-4 day with a home run and two RBIs against Duke on May 19, and went 2-for-4 against North Carolina on May 14. Bargo was held hitless in a 7-2 win over the Tar Heels on May 16 but is batting .292 over his last six starts.

UCF comes off a 12-6 loss to Oklahoma State on May 21, a game in which third baseman Javier Crespo powered the offense, going 2-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs. Crespo has been a consistent run producer, with a 2-for-4, homer, RBI performance against Kansas State on May 16, and a 4-for-4 day against Arizona State on May 2. Over his last 10 games, Crespo has recorded multiple hits in five contests and driven in runs in four. He also had a three-hit, two-RBI game against Baylor on May 8.

The Wolfpack’s recent series against North Carolina (May 14-16) saw them lose two of three, including a 17-7 setback on May 15 and a 9-4 loss on May 14, before winning 7-2 on May 16. NC State also split a three-game set at Stanford (May 8-10), losing 6-5 and 9-5 before winning 12-7. Their season includes sweeps of Miami (FL) and a 12-2 win over East Carolina on April 28.

UCF’s final regular-season series against Kansas State (May 14-16) produced a split, with wins of 10-6 on May 14 and 6-5 on May 16, and a 5-4 loss on May 15. The Knights took two of three at Baylor (May 8-10), highlighted by a 19-3 win on May 9 and an 8-0 shutout on May 8, but dropped a 7-6 decision on May 10. UCF also lost a midweek game at Florida Atlantic (6-5) on May 5 and split a three-game series with Arizona State (May 1-3), winning 4-2 and losing 6-3 and 9-4.

Interstat’s game simulator projects a 6-5 victory for UCF.

Both teams will rely on their offensive catalysts. For NC State, Bargo will look to carry the momentum from his recent power surge. For UCF, Crespo’s ability to drive in runs will be critical. The Wolfpack and Knights meet for the first time this season in a single-elimination format, with the winner advancing in the double-elimination regional.