Virginia Welcomes Wolfpack for Weekend Series

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – The Virginia softball team (25-17, 7-4 ACC) is set for a weekend series with NC State (24-19, 7-5 ACC) at The Park. A doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday with the series concluding at 1 p.m. Sunday.

On Sunday, all kids 12 and under are invited to participate in a postgame clinic with the Cavaliers. Following the clinic, the softball team will be signing autographs. The Virginia Athletics Department is asking teams that would like to participate in the clinic to RSVP to Marty Northcroft at 434-982-5600 or via e-mail (mnorthcroft@virginia.edu).

The matchup with the Wolfpack will serve as a key series with the Cavaliers currently tied for second with Florida State at 7-4 in the ACC standings. NC State sits right behind the Cavaliers with a 7-5 mark in league play.

Virginia is looking to bounce back after dropping its first ACC series of the year to sixth-ranked Georgia Tech last weekend. The Cavaliers picked up two wins, 5-0 and 5-3 in nine innings, at Hampton on Wednesday.

Seniors Sarah Tacke and Nicole Koren continue to pace the UVa offense, hitting .390 and .327, respectively. Tacke leads the Cavaliers with 10 doubles and 33 RBI in addition to six home runs on the year. Koren, meanwhile, has a team-best 10 home runs and has contributed 25 RBI. Sophomore Clara Kendall (16 stolen bases) and junior Alison Pittman (12) lead Virginia on the basepaths.

Freshman Melanie Mitchell leads the pitching staff with 19 wins on the year, including 23 complete games. In 197 1/3 innings, Mitchell has fanned 219 batters and currently posts a 3.02 ERA. Koren is 5-3 in eight starts this year with a 2.88 ERA.

NC State dropped two-of-three at No. 16 Florida State last weekend before falling 1-0 and 7-0 on Wednesday at home to East Carolina.

The Wolfpack is led by Landon Warren’s .320 average at the plate. Warren also posts six doubles and 25 runs while Stephanie Call hits .295 with a team-best 11 home runs and 28 RBI. In the circle, Lindsey Campana has a 0.88 ERA with 208 strikeouts in 159 innings of work.

NC State leads the all-time series with Virginia, 11-9, and took two-of-three games last season in Raleigh.