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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia softball (8-5) visits Clemson (11-7) for the first Atlantic Coast Conference series of the season beginning Friday (Feb. 28) at 6 p.m. The Cavaliers and Tigers will also meet on Saturday (Feb. 29) at 1 p.m. before concluding the series on Sunday (March 1) at noon.
 
Clemson is playing its first-ever ACC series, as the Tigers are in their inaugural season of softball.
 
WATCH ON ACCNX
Friday and Saturday games will air on ACCNX. ACCNX is available to authenticated subscribers of ACC Network via the ESPN App. Links to the broadcasts and live stats are available on VirginiaSports.com.
 
LEADING OFF
• Virginia enters the first weekend of ACC play at 8-5 overall, marking the first time the Cavaliers have carried a winning record into ACC action since 2012.
• Virginia will play in two new stadiums in the course of five days, heading to debutant Clemson over the weekend before opening Palmer Park on Tuesday.
• The Cavaliers are the first ACC opponent to face softball debutant Clemson.
• Virginia’s pitching staff is 21st nationally with its 3.81 strikeout-walk ratio. The mark leads the ACC.
• Sophomore Aly Rayle (Herndon, Va.) is second in the ACC, allowing just four hits per seven innings this season. 
 
HOO TO WATCH
• Donna Friedman (Orange, Calif.) leads the Cavaliers with 11 RBI on the season in 13 games. She had 19 in the entire 2019 season.
• Friedman is also leading Virginia in batting average, hitting .349 on the season with 15 hits.
• With two home runs in the early going, Friedman has already matched her freshman total.
 
GRUBE OFF TO GREAT START
• Freshman Molly Grube (Chesterfield, Va.) currently leads Virginia’s pitching staff with a 1.20 ERA in 23 1/3 innings. She’s allowed just four earned runs this season.
• In her four starts, she’s surrendered just two earned runs in 20 1/3 innings.
• Grube earned her first collegiate win with a complete-game performance against La Salle. She struck out a career-best nine batters while allowing just two unearned runs.
 
GILBERT GOING YARD
• Sophomore Tori Gilbert (Mechanicsville, Va.) has stepped up to become one of Virginia’s most consistent bats as a sophomore.
• Gilbert leads the team with three home runs and is slugging a team-best .667.
• She is third on the team with a .333 batting average.
• Her 10 RBI are second on the team and just six shy of her freshman total.
 
FRIEDMAN ON FIRE
• Friedman leads Virginia with her .349 batting average.
• Her 11 RBI are also a team-best heading into the weekend.
• Friedman is riding an eight-game hitting streak entering the series. Three of those have been multi-hit games.
• She has also produced an RBI in four-straight contests.
 
RAYLE RACKING UP K’S
• Rayle is off to a hot start in the circle, already amassing 53 strikeouts. The total is fifth among all pitchers in the ACC.
• Averaging 9.7 strikeouts per seven innings, Rayle is second among ACC hurlers and 38th nationally in the category.
• Rayle also leads the league by holding opponents to just a .162 batting average.
• With five wins on the season, Rayle ranks 45th in the country and fifth in the ACC.
 
2020 TICKET INFORMATION
Virginia softball season and single-game tickets are on sale now. All seating is general admission in 2020 with season tickets just $45. UVA faculty and staff may purchase season tickets for $35. Single-game tickets are available for $5 in advance or $8 at the box office on game day.
 
Fans may purchase tickets online at UVATix.com or through the Virginia Athletics Ticket Office in Bryant Hall at Scott Stadium. The ticket office is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. for in-person or telephone purchases. Telephone purchases can be made by calling 1-800-542-UVA1 (8821) or locally at 434-924-UVA1 (8821).
 
CLEAR BAG POLICY
Virginia athletics’ clear bag policy and entry procedures will be in place for all home softball games at Palmer Park this season. More information on the clear bag policy and other Palmer Park policies can be found here.
 
UP NEXT
Virginia opens its home schedule at Palmer Park on Tuesday, March 3 against James Madison. First pitch is set for 4 p.m. on ACCNX.