Arizona is a significant underdog for the second consecutive day versus North Carolina in the Chapel Hill Super Regional. The Wildcats forced a decisive game three on Sunday after beating the Tar Heels as a 4.5-run underdog on Saturday.
Arizona is also a 4.5-run underdog per the FanDuel Sportsbook on Sunday versus North Carolina. Arizona, Murray State and Big XII rival West Virginia are tied as the biggest underdogs of the seven Super Regional games being played on Sunday. Four Super Regional series began on Friday and the other quartet of series begins on Saturday.
Arizona is -174 at +4.5 runs and North Carolina is +132 at -4.5. On the money line, Arizona is +260 and North Carolina is -260. The over/under is 14.5. The over is -104 and the under is -120. FanDuel Sportsbook lists the money line differences for Arizona at North Carolina as the largest and the over/under is tied for the highest.
Freshman Smith Bailey (3-3, 3.97) will start for Arizona on Sunday versus Ryan Lynch (5-1, 2.98 ERA) for North Carolina. In two postseason starts, including the Big XII Tournament, Bailey has pitched 11.1 innings, allowing one earned run on eight hits, two walks and 10 strikeouts.
Lynch is making only his third start. In the postseason, including the ACC Tournament, Lynch has pitched 10.0 innings, allowing two earned runs on eight hits with five walks and 15 strikeouts. Lynch had his longest outing this season in the regional versus Oklahoma and got the win to send UNC to the super regional.
Arizona is hitting .310 in the two games versus North Carolina. After three hits in 14 at-bats with runners on base on Friday in an 18-2 loss, Arizona had 10 hits in 24 at-bats with runners on base on Saturday. UNC was 11-21 with runners on base on Friday and 6-23 on Saturday, but only 2-14 with runners in scoring position.
Arizona at North Carolina will start at 9 AM Mountain Standard Time on Sunday, with the game on ESPN 2. The winner will advance to the College World Series and play their first game on Friday versus Coastal Carolina, who swept Auburn on the road in the Super Regional.