UCLA’s College World Series game on Friday

UCLA vs. North Carolina

Where: TD Ameritrade Park, Omaha.

When: Friday, 5 p.m. PDT.

Records: UCLA 46-17, North Carolina 59-11.

TV: ESPN.

Update: UCLA, undefeated in two World Series games, has a safety net. A victory sends the Bruins to the best-of-three World Series final. A loss forces a second game Saturday in the double-elimination tournament. That allows Coach John Savage options. He will hold back ace Adam Plutko, who is 6-0 in seven career postseason games. Grant Watson (8-3, 3.22 earned-run average) will probably take his normal turn, though Savage said he might go with Cody Poteet (4-6, 4.84). “If we had lost, we would have had to bring Adam back,” Savage said. “This gives him another day of rest.” UCLA has had two days off, giving closer David Berg some recovery time. He saved the first two games, giving him 23 saves this season, and needs one more to set an NCAA season record. North Carolina was the top-seeded team in the tournament but had to claw back from the losers’ bracket after dropping the opener to North Carolina State. The Tar Heels are expected to start ace Kent Emanuel (11-4, 3.22 ERA).

—Chris Foster