BLACKSBURG – After already playing half of its league slate, the No. 24/T20 Virginia Tech softball team will head to Durham, North Carolina to take on Duke in a three-game series this weekend, beginning the second half of ACC action.
The Hokies (30-5, 10-2 ACC) and Blue Devils (19-19, 8-4) were supposed to start on Friday, but due to impending weather switched to a doubleheader Saturday starting at noon ET and one game on Sunday at 1 p.m. All three games will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra.
The all-time series between the two schools is knotted at 2-2. Duke won its first-ever series with Tech last year 2-1 in Blacksburg, but the Hokies got revenge in the first round of the ACC Championship in Atlanta.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Sat. | 12 p.m. vs. Duke | Stats | Watch
Sat. | 2 p.m. vs. Duke | Stats | Watch
Sun. | 1 p.m. vs. Duke | Stats | Watch
The last time out, the Hokies took down Louisville (23-13, 4-5) 13-5 in six innings on Sunday at Tech Softball Park. Outfielder Emma Strouth hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth for the run-rule walk off.
The run-rule victory was the Hokies' second straight versus the Cardinals, marking Tech's first consecutive run-rule wins over an ACC opponent since 2009.
On Tuesday, the league office tabbed third baseman Kelsey Bennett as ACC Co-Player of the Week, marking her second time getting the weekly honor. She batted .600 last week with eight RBIs, four runs scored and two home runs.
In the polls this week, Tech is No. 24 in the USA Today/NFCA poll and is tied at No. 20 in the ESPN.com/USA Softball poll. The RPI has the Hokies slotted at No. 28, tying their highest spot this season.
Outfielder Darby Trull has the best batting average in the ACC with a .448 clip, while Strouth has the most RBIs in the league with 45. Pitcher Carrie Eberle (17-2) has the sixth-most wins in the nation with 17.
SCOUTING DUKE
Record: 19-19 (8-4 ACC)
Head coach: Marissa Young (48-46, 2nd season)
All-time series: Tied 2-2
The Blue Devils are coming off a sweep on Wednesday against Longwood (21-13, 8-1 Big South). Last weekend, Duke swept Georgia Tech (23-16, 5-7) in Atlanta for its first road ACC sweep in program history, thanks in large part to Kristina Foreman having quite the weekend. She was the other ACC Co-Player of the Week with Bennett and Foreman also earned USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Week.
