BLACKSBURG – After opening the season without allowing a run, Virginia Tech softball is back on the road for six games in four days at Clemson and vs. Florida State in Atlanta as part of the new ACC Pod that replaces the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge Thursday through Sunday.
The No. 14/15 Hokies (3-0, 0-0 ACC) moved up one spot in each of the two major polls Tuesday after holding Kennesaw State scoreless in a season-opening series sweep last weekend. Tech will face two ACC opponents in Clemson (2-0, 0-0 ACC), who received votes in both polls, and No. 13/14 Florida State (3-1, 0-0 ACC) to open the conference season.
The No. 14 ranking in the USA Today/NFCA Coaches Poll is the highest the program has achieved since 2007.
A change to the original schedule in the Clemson series was announced Wednesday. Instead of a doubleheader Thursday, the teams will play one game at 1:30 p.m. while a doubleheader has been scheduled for Friday with the times set for noon and 2 p.m.
All six games will be streamed on the ACC Network Extra.
SCHEDULE
Thurs. | 1:30 p.m. ET at Clemson | Watch | Stats
Fri. | 12 p.m. ET at Clemson | Watch | Stats
Fri. | 2 p.m. ET at Clemson | Watch | Stats
Sat.| 11 a.m. ET vs. Florida State | Watch | Stats
Sat. | 1:30 p.m. ET vs. Florida State | Watch | Stats
Sun. | 11 a.m. ET vs. Florida State | Watch | Stats
Keely Rochard (2-0) picked up right where she left off in 2020 after leading the country in strikeouts (183), wins (15) and shutouts (2) with complete game shutouts in back-to-back starts. The preseason all-American struck out 18 batters and allowed only five hits in 14.0 innings.
Making her collegiate debut, Ivy Rosenberry (1-0) also tossed a complete game shutout in Game 2 of the series. The pitchers combined to hold Kennesaw State, who was seventh in the nation in 2020 in batting average, to a .108 clip on the weekend.
Rosenberry wasn't the only freshman to have stellar debut weekends as Cameron Fagan, Addy Greene and Emma Ritter each started all three games. Fagan currently leads the team with five hits while both Greene and Ritter homered in their second career at-bats.
Leading the Hokies with four runs batted in, preseason all-ACC Jayme Bailey got off to a great start in 2021. The West Virginia native went off in Game 2, registering a two-run double and single, while also tripling in the game.
SCOUTING CLEMSON
Record: 2-0, 0-0 ACC
2020 Record: 19-8, 5-1 ACC
Head Coach: John Rittman (21-8, 2nd season at Clemson | 771-259-3, 20th career season)
All-time Series: 0-0
Clemson burst onto the scene last season in its first year as a program, going 19-8 and securing ACC series wins over Virginia and Pitt. The Tigers boast three preseason all-ACC selections in utility player Valerie Cagle, infielder Hannah Goodwin and outfielder Marissa Guimbarda and were picked to finish sixth in the conference by the ACC Preseason Coaches Poll.
SCOUTING FLORIDA STATE
Record: 3-1, 0-0 ACC
2020 Record: 17-7, 0-0 ACC
Head Coach: Lonni Alameda (558-168-1, 13th season at Florida State | 715-326-2, 18th career season)
All-time Series: 30-16 FSU
The Seminoles and Hokies were the only two teams to receive first-place votes in the 2021 ACC Preseason Coaches Poll, FSU coming away with nine to VT's four. For the second straight year, the teams were picked to finish first and second in the conference, respectively. Florida State landed four players on the preseason all-ACC: pitcher Caylan Arnold, outfielder Dani Morgan, catcher Anna Shelnutt and infielder Sydney Sherrill.
The Hokies have lost 12 straight to the Seminoles, with their last win coming on March 11, 2014 in a 5-4 win in Fort Myers, Florida.
