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BLACKSBURG - The Virginia Tech softball squad will host Syracuse University this weekend in an important three-game set at Tech Softball Park as the Hokies look to bounce back after getting swept by North Carolina on Monday. The series will be the first home games of the season for the Hokies (13-3, 0-2 ACC).

The series is scheduled to start at 2 p.m. on Saturday with a doubleheader and Sunday’s game will begin at 1 p.m., but check back for updates as weather and field conditions could play a role in the schedule. Admission is free. Live stats for all three games can be found here and there will be a free, audio-only broadcast through HokiesXtra.

The Orange (7-8, 0-0) had its series at NC State canceled last weekend due to weather. Sammy Fernandez leads the team with a .380 average while Corinne Ozanne hits .326 with eight home runs. Ozanne is tied with Tech’s Kelsey Mericka for the conference lead with eight home runs apiece. Jocelyn Cater and Sydney O’Hara have shared a majority of the duties in the circle. Cater is 4-5 with a 2.89 ERA and 72 strikeouts in just 55.2 innings while O’Hara is 3-3 with a 3.35 ERA and 30 strikeouts in 39.2 innings.

Tech’s offense is led by senior Kylie McGoldrick, leads the team with a .400 average and 20 RBIs. Not far behind her is freshman Breanna Davenport, who is batting .389 with six doubles and 13 RBIs. The Hokies have hit 21 home runs on the young season, led by Mericka with eight. Juniors Maggie Tyler (6-3) and Kelly Heinz (4-0) have shared time in the circle with freshman Mikaela Aiken (3-0). Aiken has a 1.64 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 25.2 innings while Tyler has a 3.08 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 47.2 innings. Heinz has struck out 22 in 31.2 innings as the staff has a 2.73 ERA and holding opponents to a .216 batting average.

After this weekend, the Hokies head to Hawaii for five games over Spring Break, but return to face a tough gauntlet of ACC series after that in No. 11 Florida State, No. 22 Notre Dame and Louisville.

Virginia Tech is just 4-9 all-time against Syracuse and 2-2 against the Orange in Blacksburg. Syracuse won the regular-season series last year in New York, 2-1, but the Hokies exacted revenge in the first round of the ACC Championship, winning 10-4.

The first 100 fans in attendance to Saturday’s game will receive a pair of Virginia Tech fleece gloves and on Sunday, fans are encouraged to join the team for an autograph and photo session following the game.

SCHEDULE NOTE
The ACC has announced a schedule change that affects the Hokies as their series with NC State has been altered to accommodate television. The series will now be a three-day affair as the two squads will play a single game on Saturday, April 25 at noon, a single game on Sunday, April 26 at 3:30 p.m. on ESPNU and the new game added is a single game on Monday, April 27 at 7 p.m. on ESPNU.

For updates on Virginia Tech softball, follow the Hokies on Twitter Follow @VT_Softball