Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG - The Virginia Tech baseball team continues ACC play this weekend with a three-game set against the No. 8 North Carolina Tar Heels - the team's ACC home opening weekend. UNC enters the weekend with a 16-6 overall record and are 2-4 in the ACC, while the Hokies are 15-6, 3-3 in league play. North Carolina is coming off a 2-0 loss at Liberty on Tuesday, but took two-of-three games over the weekend in a home series versus Miami. Tech has won 6-of-7, including a midweek sweep over High Point and Marshall, and also won two-of-three last weekend at Pittsburgh. Since losing in extra innings at Florida State (March 8), the Hokies have won 7-of-9.
A reminder to fans looking to attend any of this weekend's games against the Tar Heels (or any other ACC weekend contests in 2019), tickets are required for ACC home games this season. CLICK HERE to purchase in advance. For those attending this weekend's games, but please visit our GAMEDAY CENTRAL PAGE for more information about parking, prohibited items and an A to Z Guide on English Field at Union Park. Also, again, due to weather, fans please be aware Friday's opener has been changed to a 1 p.m. start.
Virginia Tech vs. No. 8 North Carolina
March 22-24, 2019
English Field at Union Park
Blacksburg, Va.
Gameday Links
Video: ACC Network Extra
Game 1 - Friday, 1 p.m.
Game 2 - Saturday, 3 p.m.
Game 3 - Sunday, 1 p.m.
Audio (all three games): VT/IMG Radio Network
Stats (all three games): VT Sidearm Stats
Tech Game Notes (PDF)
UNC Game Notes (PDF)
Tech returns home for ACC home opener: After traveling to No. 1 Florida State to open the 2019 ACC season and playing a three-game series at Pittsburgh last weekend, the Hokies, who went 3-3 in that stretch, will start a seven-game homestand with their first ACC home series against No. 8 North Carolina.
This year marked the fourth time since the team joined the ACC that Tech opened with two straight ACC road weekends. The other three years and their results were 2007 (3-3) - Tech opened at No. 21 Georgia Tech (2-1) and NC State (1-2); 2008 (0-6) - at No. 19 Georgia Tech (0-3) and No. 3 North Carolina (0-3); and 2012 (2-4) - at No. 27 Virginia (1-2) and No. 14 Georgia Tech (1-2).
Facing the Tar Heels: A series that started back in 1896 and consists of 104 games, UNC holds a commanding lead at 76-26-2 and includes a 28-12 mark in Blacksburg. The Hokies have never won an ACC series over the Tar Heels and are just 4-34 all-time in conference games.
UNC has won four straight, in the series with Tech's last win an 8-4 decision on May 13, 2017 over then No. 3 Tar Heels in Blacksburg, the nightcap of a doubleheader played that day.
Hokies out to a fast start: Since 2000, Tech has only reached the 15-win plateau by game 21 three times - 2012, 2013 and this year. The 2013 team was 16-5 after 21 games, while the 2012 team was 15-6, matched by the 2019 Hokies. The best after 15 wins is 13, done four times ('03, '07, '09, '10).
After 24 games, both the 2012 and 2013 teams held a 17-7 mark, while the 2003 team was 16-8.
Tech offensive over past nine days: Starting with their March 13 game versus Richmond, the Hokies have outscored their opponents by a 64-11 count, which includes scoring double figures in runs in five of those six games. In that span, though, Tech is 5-1 as the team was shut out for the first time this year, losing a 1-0 game at Pitt last Sunday. Tech is 7-0 when scoring at least 10 runs this year.
Back in 2014, Tech reached double figures in runs scored five straight games from March 11-15, but went 3-1-1 in that span. The string started with a 10-10 tie (in 10 innings) at Richmond, continued with a 21-14 loss to VCU and closed out with a three-game sweep of Pittsburgh, when the Hokies won games 11-5, 11-10 and 11-7. That is the only ACC series Tech has scored at least 10 runs in each game.
Winning big, playing close: Ten of Tech's 15 wins have been decided by five or more runs, the Hokies are 10-0 in such games, opposed to 8-14 last season. Meanwhile, of Tech's five losses, those have been decided by one or two runs. The Hokies are 4-3 in one-run games and 1-2 in two-run games - they were 5-11 and 5-4 last year. Lastly, Tech has not allowed its opponents to reach double figures in runs at all this season, the most was FSU's nine in 10 innings (a loss) and seven to Radford in nine innings (a win).