Wolfpack softball looks to stay hot in Conference play

NC State softball (15-8, 0-0 ACC) opens up its ACC season Friday night hosting Virginia Tech (18-4, 2-1 ACC) at Dail Softball Stadium for the first game of a three-game set.

The Wolfpack is currently riding a four-game winning streak, after beating Bryant, College of Charleston, Youngstown State and Charleston Southern as it approaches conference play.

Virginia Tech is coming off a series win against Georgia Tech last weekend when the Hokies opened up their ACC slate.

During nonconference play, NC State has been led offensively by junior Brigette Nordberg who has the highest batting average on the team at .389, as well as the most home runs with 12, and RBIs with 32.

Junior Devin Wallace and freshman Sydney Nester have both pitched significant innings this year for the Wolfpack. Wallace has pitched 76.2 innings so far this season, with a 1.55 ERA and has recorded 84 strikeouts. Nester, on the other hand, has pitched 69.0 innings while posting a 1.42 ERA and 85 strikeouts. Expect to see Wallace and Nester both pitch this weekend against the Hokies.

Virginia Tech has relied on sophomore Darby Trull to produce at the plate. She leads the team with a .475 batting average and has started all 22 games for the Hokies in the outfield.

Pitching wise, junior Carrie Eberle and sophomore Keely Rochard have pitched the most innings so far for Virginia Tech at 72.1 and 64.2 innings respectively. Eberle is currently posting a 1.94 ERA and has recorded 52 strikeouts. Rochard has a 2.38 ERA and 85 strikeouts. This pitching duo will look to cool down the Wolfpack bats this weekend in Raleigh.

The Wolfpack is hopeful to improve from its 11th-place finish in the ACC in 2018 when the team only won five ACC games.

The Wolfpack and Hokies’ three-game series is scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m. and Sunday at noon in Raleigh.