Happy Pi Day! Hope you are enjoying a slice after watching Oklahoma fight and claw its way to victory Friday night. Friday's slate unsurprisingly feature chaos with a ton of go-ahead shots and walk-off homers. College baseball is so back.
There are several interesting looks Saturday, so let's lock in and have a day.
Florida State Seminoles (-160) @ Wake Forest Demon Deacons (+124) | Total: 13
We will be treated to a huge ACC matchup that may have major implications at the end of the season. Florida State boat-raced Wake Forest on Friday with 10-0 run-rule win. Their Friday night guy, Wes Mendes, went the distance and got the shutout, Myles Bailey hit a ball that landed in another zip code. It was simply a good old-fashioned rinsing. But if you have followed the sport long enough, you know that teams that get demolished can bounce right back -- often thanks to the pitching matchup.
I have frequently highlighted Dax Whitney as a phenom who could could first overall in the 2027 MLB Draft. Chris Levonas, though -- a second-round pick by the Brewers out of high school -- is making a strong case to be the second best arm. Levonas wasn't an impact player as a freshman in 2025, but he got his feet wet with 35.0 innings over 11 starts. Something clicked over the offseason because this kid is mowing people down with some electric stuff.
The sophomore righty is hitting triple-digits with the heater and possesses a merciless mix of swing-and-miss secondary offerings. His 41:6 K:BB through 19.2 innings looks like it could just be the tip of the iceberg. On Saturday, though, he will be tested by an FSU offense with some legit boppers like Bailey (.358 BA, 7 HR), Hunter Carns and Cal Fisher. The command has been good for Levonas, so of course that's a big selling point. But he will need to keep the ball in the yard. Wake Forest's Friday starter, Blake Morningstar, served up five long balls, and you saw the results.
For the Seminoles, we should see Florida Atlantic transfer Trey Beard take the hill. The sample size is smaller because he has missed time due to health, but through three starts he owns a 2.92 ERA and 14:4 K:BB over 12.1 IP. Beard is a strong pitcher who dominated last season, but now he's working against a different level of competition, and he faces his first big test.
Beard is a lefty who can generate a lot of punchouts. Against a Demon Deacons lineup with some pop, he will need to be sharp. Thus far, Wake Forest has hit 23 homers and posted a .305 average. There are some starts in the lineup like Kade Lewis (.356 BA, 4 HR) and Dalton Wentz (.343 BA, 5 HR) along with other contributors.
As much as I love Beard and think Florida State is the better team, Levonas provides a matchup advantage. After getting hit hard Friday, Wake Forest is a plus-money underdog at home with the better starter. This has to be a Wake Forest spot and I'm riding with them.
The Pick: Wake Forest ML (+124 DraftKings)
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