LINCOLN, Neb. (Interstat) — Arizona State (37-19) and Mississippi (36-21) meet Friday in the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship at Haymarket Park. First pitch is scheduled for [time] with the weather forecast calling for temperatures in the mid-70s.

The Sun Devils and Rebels enter the double-elimination playoff game with similar resumes. Arizona State dropped its regular-season finale 7-3 at West Virginia on May 22, while Mississippi lost 10-8 to Missouri on May 19.

Arizona State pitcher Cole Carlon will be a key figure. The right-hander threw 5⅓ scoreless innings in his last start against West Virginia, allowing no hits and one unearned run with six strikeouts. In his previous outing May 15 at Houston, he worked 1⅔ hitless innings with three strikeouts. Carlon’s most dominant performance came May 8 against Oklahoma State, when he struck out 11 over seven innings, allowing three earned runs.

Mississippi center fielder Hayden Federico provides a potent bat. He went 2-for-5 with a home run and four RBIs in the loss to Missouri. Over his last 10 games, Federico has multiple hits in four contests, including a 3-for-5, two-RBI day May 2 at Arkansas. He also drove in a run May 9 against Texas A&M and hit safely in three of his last four games entering the tournament.

The Rebels have won six of their last nine, including a 9-0 shutout May 15 at Alabama. Their pitching staff allowed 10 or more runs in four of their five losses this month.

Arizona State rebounded from a tough series at Houston (lost two of three) by taking two of three from Oklahoma State at home. The Sun Devils’ offense, led by Dean Toigo (1-for-4, home run, two RBIs in the West Virginia game), has produced at least eight runs in seven of their last 10 wins.

An Interstat game simulator projects a 6-5 Arizona State victory. The winner advances in the tournament; the loser drops to the elimination bracket.