BLACKSBURG – Continuing its road swing, which stands at five games entering the weekend, the No. 19/16 Virginia Tech softball team will play at No. 12/14 Duke Friday-Sunday in Durham at Duke Softball Stadium.
Tech (20-5, 13-5 ACC) has won four consecutive games against Duke (26-3, 14-3), dating back to May 9, 2018 in the first round of the ACC Tournament in Atlanta, and leads the all-time series 5-2.
In the lone time the two have faced off for a series in the Pete D'Amour era, the Hokies are 3-0. They won in 2019 thanks to two shutouts and a 2-1 victory in Game 3 of the series.
This weekend will mark the first time the two teams have gone at it when both are ranked. Two of the game will be on ACC Network and two will be on ACC Network Extra.
WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Friday at No. 12/14 Duke at 5 p.m. ET | Watch | Stats
Saturday at No. 12/14 Duke at 5 p.m. ET | Watch | Stats
Saturday at No. 12/14 Duke at 7 p.m. ET | Watch | Stats
Sunday at No. 12/14 Duke at 3 p.m. ET | Watch | Stats
LAST TIME OUT
Facing its in-state rival for the second time in a week, the Hokies scored in six of seven innings on their way to a 9-1 victory over UVA (8-17, 4-13).
Tech racked up 11 hits, including outfielder Kelsey Brown (.440 BA, 16 SBs) and shortstop Addy Greene (.295 BA, 7 2Bs) each having three hits apiece, and capitalized on the Cavaliers' four errors. Pitcher Keely Rochard (16-2, 0.86 ERA) did her usual, throwing six innings and allowing just one run combined with 11 strikeouts.
WHO TO WATCH
The reigning ACC Pitcher of the Week is someone to keep an eye out for, with her racking up 57 Ks her last six outings. Rochard is 1-1 versus Duke over her career with a 1.06 ERA.
Greene is seeing the ball well at the plate recently, getting a double in three of her last four games. The freshman is coming off a career-high three hits at UVA Tuesday.
SCOUTING No. 12/14 DUKE
Record: 26-3 (14-3 ACC)
Head coach: Marissa Young (103-65, 4th season)
All-time series: Tech leads 5-2
The Blue Devils are coming off a 2-2 split with No. 18/19 Clemson (22-4, 14-4) this past weekend, winning the first two games then falling the final two. Duke has two quality pitchers in Shelby Walters (10-1, 0.53 ERA) and Peyton St. George (11-1, 1.34 ERA), who have totaled 21 wins combined in the circle.
