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April 13, 2007
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia softball team takes to the road for the first time in over two weeks when it travels to Raleigh, N.C., this weekend for a three-game series against Atlantic Coast Conference foe NC State. The series gets under way at Walnut Creek Softball Complex on Saturday (April 14) with a 1 p.m. doubleheader. The two teams wrap up the series with a single game on Sunday (April 15) at noon.
The Cavaliers currently stand at 14-27 overall and 1-11 in the ACC. UVa has not played since dropping all three games in its series against Virginia Tech April 6-7 at The Park. Virginia’s doubleheader on Wednesday (April 11) against Liberty was postponed.
NC State is 31-16 overall and 7-5 in the ACC. The Wolfpack extended its season-best winning streak to seven games with a doubleheader sweep at UNC Greensboro on Thursday (April 12). NC State won by scores of 7-1 and 11-1. The Wolfpack won both the 2006 regular season and ACC Tournament titles.
Virginia leads the all-time series vs. NC State 6-5. The Wolfpack took three of four meeting last season. NC State won 8-7 in the Buzz Classic in Marietta, Ga., on March 5 and then won the ACC series in Charlottesville April 22-23. NC State swept a doubleheader 4-0 and 7-5 with UVa bouncing back for a 5-2 victory in the series finale.
“North Carolina State will be a big challenge for us,” said head coach Karen Johns. “Playing on the road against the defending ACC champions is a tall order, but we are excited for the opportunity.”
First-year Kelly Haller (Leesburg, Va.) leads the Cavaliers with a .430 (46-107) batting average, which is also third in the ACC. She tops the team in home runs (10), RBI (38), walks (20), slugging percentage (.776) and on-base percentage (519). She is tied with fourth-year Brooke Sorber (Alexandria, Va.) for team-high honors in doubles with seven. Sorber is second on the team with a .315 (23-73) batting average this season.
The entire series can be followed live via gametracker at virginiasports.com.