TALLAHASSEE, FLA. – The No. 4/5 Virginia Tech softball team is in Tallahassee this weekend to take on the No. 2/3 Seminoles in a pivotal three-game ACC series. Friday and Saturday's games will be streamed live on ACC Network Extra, with Sunday's matchup on the ACC Network.
LAST TIME OUT
The Hokies won their fifth straight series on Sunday and Monday, taking two games of three from then-No. 22/20 UCF. Tech took both games of the doubleheader on Sunday 1-0 and 7-0, respectively. UCF took the final game of the series 5-4 in 11 innings on Monday. Keely Rochard tossed a no-hitter in game one, striking out 14 to lead the Hokies past the Knights 1-0. Emma Ritter had the game-winning RBI for the Hokies. In game two, junior Kelsey Bennett led the way offensively for the Hokies, going 2-for-4 in the ballgame with a double, a home run and two RBIs. Freshman Bre Peck furnished a noteworthy performance at the plate as well, going 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBIs.
PITCHER OF THE WEEK
Keely Rochard struck out 14 batters en route to her first no-hitter of the season against UCF. She had a perfect game through 5.1 innings before allowing the only baserunner of the game for the Knights with a one-out walk in the sixth inning. The Williamsburg, Virginia, native struck out the side in the fourth and recorded at least two strikeouts in every inning but the first. Rochard currently ranks first in the ACC and seventh nationally in hits allowed per seven innings with 3.31. She is also fourth nationally (first in the ACC) in strikeouts with 183 and sixth nationally in strikeouts per seven innings with 12.4.
THE MATCHUP
This will be the 50th meeting between the two teams, with the series dating back to 2005. A season ago, the Hokies took two games of three from the Seminoles, playing at a neutral site in Atlanta, Ga. Tech run-ruled FSU 9-1 (5 inn.) but fell in the second game of the doubleheader 7-1. The Hokies took the final game of the series 6-0 to earn the series win. Florida State currently leads the series 31-18 and holds a 13-6 advantage in Tallahassee.
PLAYER TO WATCH
Bre Peck had a great series against UCF, 6-for-13 on the weekend, including two home runs. The freshman recorded a slugging percentage of .923 against No. 22, with 3 RBI. She also scored two runs. Peck ended the three-game series with a .462 average. She currently leads the team with seven home runs and is second on the team with 22 RBI.
UP NEXT
The No. 4 Hokies will make the trip to Liberty on Tuesday to take on the Flames in midweek action before returning home to Blacksburg to host conference rival Virginia April 14-16.
