THE FLATS – Georgia Tech softball (12-20) will be back on the road to face No. 15 Virginia Tech (25-6) for its next ACC series, beginning Friday and continuing through Sunday at Tech Softball Park in Blacksburg, Va. The Yellow Jackets and Hokies will begin the series at 6 p.m. on Friday, continue with a doubleheader of games at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Saturday and conclude the series with a noon game on Sunday.
Series Schedule
Friday, April 16 @ 6 p.m. ET vs. Virginia Tech
Saturday, April 17 @ 1 p.m. ET vs. Virginia Tech
Saturday, April 17 @ 3 p.m. ET vs. Virginia Tech
Sunday, April 18 @ Noon ET vs. Virginia Tech
TV
All games over the weekend will be broadcast live on ACC Network Extra.
Storylines
- Georgia Tech split its most recent ACC series, taking two against Louisville at home behind an 11th-inning walk-off two-run homer by senior outfielder Cameron Stanford in game two and a 12-2, six-inning run-rule thrashing of the Cardinals in the series finale.
- The Jackets continue to flex their power this season as they’re currently second in the ACC and 24th in the NCAA in homeruns per game.
- Georgia Tech has five different batters that have jacked six or more homeruns on the season and eight total players with multiple homeruns under their belt on the year.
- Along with that power, Tech has efficiently put runners on, ranking second in the conference in on-base percentage (0.390).
- That efficiency is aided by strong plate discipline as the Yellow Jackets are second in the ACC and 26th in the NCAA in drawn walks with 117 this season.
- A pair of Jackets have earned ACC Player of the Week recognition this season as sophomore catcher Emma Kauf earned ACC Player of the Week and sophomore pitcher Blake Neleman was named ACC Co-Pitcher of the week for their performances in the season opening Buzz Classic.
- Stanford has come through when it matters most for the Jackets as displayed by last week’s walk-off homerun in game two and grand slam to cut Louisville’s lead to one in the bottom of the seventh of game one. She’s now third in the ACC in RBI per game, averaging 1.03 per outing.
- Senior first baseman Tricia Awald is currently third in the ACC in on-base percentage at (0.534).
- Senior utility player Breanna Roper has made her way around the base path better than anyone in the ACC this year, leading the league in runs per game averaging one per contest.
- Neleman retains some of the best marks of the pitching staff, tossing five complete games for wins with a pair of shutouts. Following two complete-game wins (including one with 11 innings pitched) last weekend, the Marietta, Ga. native has piled up 53 strikeouts in 49 innings of work.
Series Notes
- Georgia Tech leads the tight all-time series over Virginia Tech, 26-25.
- The Yellow Jackets’ biggest advantage has come in neutral site games, leading the Hokies 5-1.
- Georgia Tech’s last win over Virginia Tech came in the form of a 10-7 road victory in 2019.
NOTE: ACC Network Extra (ACCNX) programming is available online via the ESPN app or WatchESPN.com. Viewers must subscribe to a cable/satellite/digital provider that carries the ACC Network to view ACCNX programming.
Alexander-Tharpe Fund
The Alexander-Tharpe Fund is the fundraising arm of Georgia Tech athletics, providing scholarship, operations and facilities support for Georgia Tech’s 400-plus student-athletes. Be a part of developing Georgia Tech’s Everyday Champions and helping the Yellow Jackets compete for championships at the highest levels of college athletics by supporting the Support The Swarm Fund, which helps Georgia Tech athletics offset the significant financial challenges associated with Covid-19, and the Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes. To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
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