The West Virginia Mountaineers had their backs against the wall on Tuesday at the College World Series, but pulled through the pressure to put forth a dominant performance and shutout Troy 12-0 to eliminate them from the field and advance to the semifinals.
But things aren't getting any easier for the Mountaineers, as they still have to win to keep their season alive. And they'll gave to do so against the North Carolina Tar Heels, who already defeated the Mountaineers once in Omaha on Sunday in a 5-2 win. Here's all the information you need to follow along.
When do West Virginia and UNC play at the College World Series?
WVU baseball will not get much rest between Tuesday's win and their next outing, unlike their first three games in Omaha. The Mountaineers will face the Tar Heels on Wednesday, June 17, with first pitch between the two teams scheduled for 2:00 pm EST.
It will be the first of two games on the day, with the Oklahoma Sooners meeting either the Texas Longhorns or the Georgia Bulldogs after WVU squares off the UNC.
How to watch or listen to WVU and UNC in the College World Series
Fans looking to follow along with the action can watch live on ESPN, with the game also set to be broadcast on the Watch ESPN app online. WVU fans can also follow along with the radion broadcast on the Mountaineer Sports Network, which will be available on all network affiliates as well as The Varsity Network app.
How does the start time help (or hinder) the Mountaineers?
Unfortunately for West Virginia, the 2:00 PM start time on Wednesday doesn't give the Mountaineers long to recover, as they will be back on the diamond less than 24 hours after last playing. The late game would have certainly been the preferable draw for the WVU.
However, the Mountaineers are no stranger to winning games on little rest in a "lose and go home" scenario, as they pulled off wins over Wake Forest and Kentucky in the same day three weeks ago in a similar situation during the Morgantown Regional. They would then go on to bounce the Wildcats from the tournament the next night.
And conversely, the Mountaineers have won both of their games at the College World Series that have had an afternoon start time, while their sole loss to UNC came during a night game. And the Tar Heels have drawn a later game during each of their two contests, so the earlier start might throw them off.
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