Hokies to visit No. 13 Georgia Tech for ACC-opening series

BLACKSBURG – Victorious 10 out of 11 times during its season-opening home stand, the Virginia Tech baseball team (10-1, 0-0 ACC) will hit the road for its first ACC series of the season this weekend when it visits No. 13 Georgia Tech (10-3, 0-0 ACC) for a three-game series at Mac Nease Baseball Park at Russ Chandler Stadium.
 
Due to inclement weather forecast for Atlanta, this weekend's series between the Hokies and the Yellow Jackets has been reconfigured than previously scheduled. Friday's series opener has been moved up to a 2 p.m. start (previously 6 p.m.) while Saturday's game has been postponed and rescheduled as part of a Sunday doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m.
 

 
PROBABLE STARTERS
• Friday:  TBD vs. TBD
• Sunday - Game 1:  TBD vs. TBD
• Sunday - Game 2:  TBD vs. TBD

THREE THINGS TO KNOW
• Thriving at Home:  Virginia Tech made the most of its 11-game start to the season in Blacksburg, averaging precisely 10 runs per game on its home field while racking up the +76 run differential against its visiting opponents. The "Hammerin' Hokies" lived up to their program moniker in the most fitting of ways, executing at an offensive clip that begins ACC play ranked as one of the best in the nation. As of games through March 8, Tech's lineup ranks among the top five NCAA Division I programs in batting average (.361 – second), slugging percentage (.657 – second), on-base percentage (.458 – fourth) and – most appropriately – home runs per game (2.09 – fifth). Equally as formidable have been Tech's hurlers who enter Friday's series opener at Georgia Tech as a top-15 staff in strikeout-to-walk ratio (3.88). The Hokies have also denied free bases at an exceptional rate, committing four errors across 11 games while sporting the nation's sixth fewest walks allowed per nine innings (2.36).

• Weekend Outlook:  Virginia Tech is hunting for its first series win against Georgia Tech since 2010 when the ranked Hokies won the first two games of their three-game set in Atlanta. Two of the early ACC leaders in home runs will share the diamond this weekend as fifth-year second baseman Eduardo Malinowski (seven home runs) squares up against the Yellow Jackets' catcher, Kevin Parada (six). Like the Hokies, Georgia Tech's offensive strength is its power as the Yellow Jackets have belted 25 home runs – two more than Virginia Tech has managed this season through one fewer game. Additionally, Georgia Tech's pitching staff commands the zone quite well, having amassed the third most strikeouts within the ACC (144, 11.2 per nine innings).

• Streak Makers:  Sophomore outfielder Jack Hurley carries an 11-game hitting streak into Friday's series opener at Georgia Tech to lead the Hokies while Gavin Cross has also hit safely during each of his nine appearances this season. Hurley continues to pace Virginia Tech in batting average (.537) – ranking sixth among NCAA Division I players – while he and Eduardo Malinowski occupy two of the nation's top 12 positions in slugging percentage. True freshman infielder Carson DeMartini has also reached base safely during each of his first 11 collegiate appearances.

UP NEXT
Virginia Tech will remain on the road for its upcoming midweek game at James Madison on Tuesday, March 15. First pitch at Veterans Memorial Park in Harrisonburg, Virginia, is scheduled for 4 p.m.