BLACKSBURG – The Virginia Tech softball team will host NC State in a three-game series starting Saturday in both team’s Atlantic Coast Conference opener. The two are scheduled to play, weather permitting, a doubleheader starting at noon on Saturday and a single game on Sunday at 1 p.m.

The Hokies are 47-31 in regular season ACC play since joining the league in 2005. Tech has won the last two ACC Tournaments and has made the NCAA Tournament the last four seasons. Florida State and North Carolina opened the conference play on Monday and Tuesday with the Seminoles winning two of three in Chapel Hill.

NC State is 10-8 on the year after taking third place at the Under Armour Invitational last weekend and dropping a single game at Winthrop on Thursday. The red and white has now won eight of its last 10.

Heading into this weekend’s action, the Wolfpack is led at the plate by Hannah Ojeda, who is batting a team-leading .341. Alyssa Ishibashi is hitting .319 and has started all 18 games. Kristine Bechtholdt is batting .273 with three home runs and both Allison Presnell and Bridget Desbois have three round-trippers apiece, but the ‘Pack is hitting just .221 as a team.

The pitching is keeping them in games, as Lindsay Campana is 5-3 with a 1.13 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 62.0 innings. Mendy McKenzie also sees a lot of innings for a staff with an ERA of 2.22.

Tech leads the series 8-7 after beating NCSU 2-0 in the ACC Championship game last year. Tech swept the series at Raleigh last year.

The two first met in 2005 and the ‘Pack won five of the first six contests. The Hokies have won the last six to take a lead in the series. Tech is just 2-4 at Tech Softball Park against NC State.

As always, Jerry Massey can be heard on the air this weekend, this time for free on hokietv.com, and live stats for all three games will be available on hokiesports.com.