THE FLATS – Georgia Tech softball (5-0) continues at home this weekend beginning ACC play by hosting a conference pod with nine total games Thursday through Sunday at Mewborn Field. The Yellow Jackets will take on No. 12 Florida State and Clemson (RV) over the course of the weekend while also hosting No. 14 Virginia Tech for neutral site games.
Series Schedule
Thursday, Feb. 18 @ 2 p.m. vs. No. 12 Florida State
Thursday, Feb. 18 following game one vs. No. 12 Florida State
Watch | Live Stats
Friday, Feb. 19 @ 1 p.m. vs. No. 12 Florida State
*Saturday, Feb. 20 @ 11 a.m. No. 12 Florida State vs. No. 14 Virginia Tech
Watch | Live Stats
*Saturday, Feb. 20 @ 1:30 p.m. No. 12 Virginia Tech vs. No. 14 Florida State
Watch | Live Stats
Saturday, Feb. 20 @ 4 p.m. vs. Clemson (RV)
*Sunday, Feb. 21 @11 a.m. No. 12 Florida State vs. No. 14 Virginia Tech
Watch | Live Stats
Sunday, Feb. 21 @ 1:30 p.m. vs. Clemson (RV)
Sunday, Feb. 21 @ 4 p.m. vs. Clemson (RV)
*Indicates Neutral Games
(Missing links will be updated once available)
TV
Game one of Thursday’s doubleheader against No. 12 Florida State will be broadcast live on ACC Network. The remainder of the pod games will be streamed on ACC Network Extra.
Parking
Parking is available in the McCamish Lot for the duration of pod play.
Storylines
- Georgia Tech has outscored opponents 44-3 to date.
- The Jackets have gotten off to their best start since 2013, currently sitting at 5-0.
- Georgia Tech currently leads the ACC and is top five in the nation in batting average (.421). slugging percentage (.772) and on-base percentage (.521).
- The Yellow Jackets are also seventh in the nation in doubles (10), ninth in the country in homeruns per game (2) and sixth in the NCAA in walks (22) while leading the ACC in each of the categories as well.
- From the circle as a team, Georgia Tech owns a .50 ERA, good for fifth in the country and second in the ACC. The three shutouts by the Jacket slingers ranks second in the nation and leads the ACC.
- Sophomore catcher Emma Kauf earned ACC Player of the Week honors while sophomore pitcher Blake Neleman was named ACC Co-Pitcher of the week for their performances in the season opening Buzz Classic.
- Kauf led the Jacket bats from the leadoff spot through opening weekend, batting above .500 in four of five games. The Lincoln, Neb. native is 9-for-13 at the dish, batting .692 on the season to rank 15th in the NCAA and lead the ACC. Along with that, Kauf currently places top five in the country and sits atop the conference in hits (9) and doubles (4). On the basepath, she leads the ACC in total bases (19) and walks (6). The second-year catcher also has the second-highest mark in the league in runs scored (7), homeruns (2) and RBI (7) while ranking third in the conference in slugging percentage (1.462) and stolen bases (3).
- Neleman led the way in the circle tossing three complete games. The Marietta, Ga. native piled up 29 strikeouts through the weekend to rank second in the NCAA and lead the ACC. She is also is tied for the most shutouts this season among the national ranks and leads the conference with two. The right hander posted a 0.41 ERA through 17 innings of work in the Buzz Classic while notching the most starts (3) and the most wins (3) in the nation. She gave up just one earned run through three games. In individual games, she tallied double digit strikeouts in two of her three starts on the weekend. Georgia Tech’s ace never allowed more than one hit in any given inning through three starts.
- Senior outfielder Kennedy Cowden also showed out in the Buzz Classic, adding pop to the lineup with three homeruns, which ranks ninth in the country and leads the ACC. The Powell, Tenn. native leads the NCAA in RBI with 14 on the season. She also has a pair of sac flies to lead the nation in the stat.
- In her first start of the season, junior right-hander Lexi Ray tossed a complete game shutout allowing just two hits, good enough to rank eighth in the country and second in the league in hits allowed per seven innings.
Series Notes
- The matchup between Georgia Tech and Clemson (RV) will be the first meeting of the two programs.
- No. 12 Florida State currently holds the all-time series lead 62-26.
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 A-T Fund’s Annual Athletic Scholarship Fund, which directly provides scholarships for Georgia Tech student-athletes, and the Support The Swarm Fund, created to give fans an opportunity to help Georgia Tech athletics maintain its recent momentum through the financial challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic! To learn more about supporting the Yellow Jackets, visit atfund.org.
For the latest information on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, follow us on Twitter (@GTAthletics), Facebook, Instagram or visit us at www.ramblinwreck.com.
