009_cel_20BS_ma_GS_4123R009_cel_20BS_ma_GS_4123R
Baseball

Hokies in Atlanta, Georgia for first ACC weekend series

BLACKSBURG - The Virginia Tech Hokies head out on the road to open up the ACC conference slate, traveling to Atlanta, Georgia to take on the 29th-ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. The series begins on Friday with first pitch slated for 7 p.m. See below for game information, series history and game notes (along with links).

Virginia Tech (8-3, 0-0 ACC) at #29 Georgia Tech (8-4, 0-0 ACC)
March 6-8, 2020
Russ Chandler Stadium
Atlanta, Georgia

Gameday Information
TV Broadcast: ACC Network Extra
     Links: Friday; Saturday; Sunday
Audio Broadcast (all): VT/IMG Radio Network TuneIn App, online or locally on WRAD-FM 101.7
Live Stats (all): GT StatBroadcast
     Links: Friday; Saturday; Sunday
VT game notes: Click here
GT game notes: Click here

Series History
Overall Record: 18-35 (34.0%), Lost 2
ACC Record: 14-31 (31.1%), Lost 1
ACC Series Record: 2-13 (13.3%), Lost 9
Home: 7-14 (33.3%), Lost 2
Away: 9-21 (30.0%), Lost 1
Neutral: 2-0 (100.0%), Won 2
Last 10: 3-7 (30.0%)
Total runs scored: VT: 288, Opp: 466
Total shutouts by: VT: 0, Opp: 1 ('04)

Hokies take on Yellow Jackets to open ACC

  • For the 12th time in its 16 year-history in the conference, Tech will start ACC play on the road, and for the seventh time it will be against a ranked opponent. The Hokies will take on No. 29 Georgia Tech (by NCBWA), the most common of their nine opponents they've faced on ACC Opening Day.
  • This will be the fourth time Virginia Tech will play Georgia Tech on ACC opening weekend - and the third time on the road - and breaking a tied with Miami, who VT has played three times (twice on the road, once at home).
  • Tech has twice played Duke on the road and former ACC member Maryland twice as well (one home, one away). The Hokies have also opened against Virginia, Clemson, Wake Forest and Florida State (all on road) and Pittsburgh (at home).

Tech on ACC Opening Day and opening weekend

  • Despite playing 11 of its last 15 ACC Opening Days on the road, the Hokies are 6-9 overall, won three of their last five and are 4-7 on the road.
  • However, stretching its record out to the entire three-game weekend, Tech is 14-31 overall, 8-25 on the road (have been swept four times) and has won just one of those previous 11 road opening sets.
  • That only win was back in 2007 at No. 21 Georgia Tech, 2-1. In 2008, No. 19 Georgia Tech swept the Hokies, while the Yellow Jackets won the 2013 ACC opening series 2-1 in Blacksburg. Against ranked opponents on ACC opening weekend, Tech is 5-13 overall and have lost their last five series.
  • At home, the Hokies are 6-6 overall and 2-2 in a series.

Seven-game winning streaks

  • After a 1-3 start, the Hokies have won seven straight, including three of the last four by scoring at least 10 runs. Tech's seven-game winning streak is the longest since the team opened the 2019 season on a seven-game winning streak (Feb. 15-Feb. 26). 
  • It's been more than six years since the Hokies have won eighth in a row - May 8 through May 24, 2013, which included two ACC regular-season victories and three wins in the ACC Tournament.
  • The last time Tech won eight straight games during the regular season was during the 2010 season, from Feb. 21 through March 9, when the Hokies rattled off nine straight wins.
  • At his previous stop, head coach John Szefc coached his teams to six winning streaks of seven games or more, with a long of 11 straight games in 2014 (May 2 through May 23).

2019 pitching staff turns in one of its best seasons ever

  • Last year, the Hokies enjoyed one of their most successful pitching seasons ever turned in by a Tech staff in its history since the program joined the ACC (15 years). First, the team's final overall ERA of 3.98 was the best ever in that time frame. In fact, the Hokies had not posted a sub-4.00 ERA since 1984 (3.80) - the lowest since was 4.10 in 1995. 
  • The team also finished second all-time in strikeouts (495), with the 2010 squad holding the top mark ever with 530. The previous high was 461 (1988). Below are other notables for the staff (since 2005):
  • Lowest ERA: 1. 3.98 (2019); 2. 4.14 (2013)
  • Opp. BA: 1. .243 (2019); 2. .257 (2012)
  • Most K/9: 1. 9.51 (2019); 2. 8.72 (2010)
  • Few. hits allowed: 1. 428 (2019); 2. 474 (2012)
  • Few. runs: 1. 237 (2019); 2. 263 (2012)
  • Few. earned runs: 1. 207 (2019); 2. 225 (2012)