Softball is now 41-9 on the season after the sweep of UNC. They dropped to 17th in Softball America behind Stanford (34-12), UGA (34-16), Texas A&M (35-14), Oklahoma State (34-13) and Oregon (38-10). Hokies are 17th in D1 Rankings, 17th in ESPN.com/USA Softball and 11th in Diamond Sports Rankings.
This week the ladies only have a weekend series at Syracuse (18-23) who the Hokies will have to sweep to have any chance at hosting a Regional.
Friday 3pm ACCNX
Saturday 1pm ACCNX
Sunday Noon ACCNX
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I know this is a softball thread, but since we dont have a one this week for baseball since most of us have checked out - baseball had an above average week beating VCU on the road, and then taking 2/3 against NC State at home. With the exception of Liberty, we play a LOT of not-so-great baseball teams the rest of the way, with the potential to pick up another ~10 wins (6 in the ACC) which could have a dramatic impact on ACCT seeding, getting us into a bye or even a double-bye if a few teams at the top struggle over the next 2 weeks.
I just haven't gotten to it. There will be a thread.
So, if we end up facing Georgia again in the post-season and knock them out, what are the odds we are still ranked below them? That one is the one that is most annoying with the rankings. Hopefully it is bulletin board material that motivates.
They would then win the tie breaker as the higher ranked team and would advance. It's difficult for a school like us that is not in a premier softball conference to understand. You'll get that on these big jobs.
SEC Bias is definitely a thing. Doesnt explain Stanford or Oklahoma State though. Only thing Stanford has going for them was the sweep of FSU earlier this season. They jumped us beating Cal (13-36) this weekend while we swept UNC (31-18). 7 less wins and 3 more losses.
We have won 7 more games than UGA and have lost 7 less. This includes us hammering them twice. They have lost a series to Arkansas, Texas A&M, Texas, and were just swept by Oklahoma. They are clearly the better team and should be ranked a few spots ahead of us.
In the ESPN.com poll this week, Hokies are only team outside the top 10 with less than 10 losses.
11 Duke 38-13
12 Texas A&M 35-14
13 Oklahoma State 34-13
14 Georgia 34-16
15 Oregon 38-10
16 Mississippi State 36-15
17 Virginia Tech 41-9
18 Stanford 34-12
19 LSU 33-16
20 Arizona 34-13
We don't have SEC on our uniforms.
Had to update a couple of the poll rankings. Apparently I looked a half hour too early.
Michelle Chatfield named the NFCA Player of the Week
She hit .583 with 4 homeruns, 11 RBIs and had a .667 on base percentage last week.
Those are some Aerospace Engineering numbers right there!
Way to go Michelle!
Team is winning 12-1 in the bottom of the 5th
And... it's a final. 12-1 in five.
Way to go ladies!
Game #2 at syracuse...
Hokies down 0-2 end of 1st.
Hokies get five in top of 3rd.
Now 5-2.
Hokies score six more in top of fourth.
Lead now at 11-2 after four.
Hokies with new program record... 519 hits in a season!!!
HOKIES win!!!
Scored two more in the top of the fifth.
Run ruled cuse... 13-2.
we'll drop 2 spots when the poll comes out because we didn't put 20 on them by the 3rd inning
lol... we'll drop 2 spots because the teams that move ahead of us will have (multiple) quality losses!
lol. the sad part is i was trying to prove a point with hyperbole, you just stated a fact (happened multiple times this season).
...and it happened. Softball America dropped Hokies a spot after a 36-4 sweep of Syracuse while 13 of the teams ahead of them lost games this week and three teams lost TWO games. Texas is now 30-19 and still Top 10 while Hokies are 44-9 and 18th.
No idea how they can justify any of this. Hopefully it doesn't matter and we can win when we need to. Team seems to be playing pretty good ball right now.
Can I safely assume they still have Georgia ahead of us? There has to be something going on here that is beyond just SEC bias. I mean this is beyond absurd. At least, unlike in football, the ratings don't really matter (within reason) and things will be settled in actual games. But are the people doing these polls that stupid or biased or what?
Yes UGA is still ahead of the Hokies. All the pundits are pointing to RPI but all of it assumes SEC teams are good. They even have South Carolina in the rankings at 30-25. Problem is the SEC outside of top 8 in the rankings did really poorly OOC. They casually overlook Hokies being 6-0 over SEC teams. Hokies biggest problem is they are 20 in RPI due to losses to Charlotte, Georgia Tech and Biberty
AWESOME LADIES!!!!!
Game three at syracuse.
End of first two innings... 0-0.
Abromavage... BOOM! 2-run HR!
cuse gets one back in the bottom of the 3rd.
2-1 Hokies.
Castine... BOOM to dead center field!
before I finish typing...
Yeager... BOOM over the scoreboard!
4-1 Hokies
Foster RBI Double 5-1
Chatfield 2-RBI Double 7-1
Aldridge 💥 💥
9-1
Aldridge... BOOM! 2 run HR! 9-1 HOKIES!
l just want to say... I feel sorry for Nora Abromavage. In her at bat before the Chatfield double, she had a 3 ball, 2 strike count and the home plate ump rung her up on a pitch that was clearly outside! You teach the batter to not take anything close... well, that wasn't close. That was a blatant missed call by the ump. I would not have been upset if Nora had argued the call and got tossed from the game. It was that terrible of a call!!! Just my opinion!
Layton in circle for Mazzarone and has loaded the bases. Single, Walk, HBP
Lynch 💥 💥 💥
Homeruns in 3 straight games for Lynch.
12-1 now
Castine has also homered in the last 3 games.
Sweep complete! HOKIES win! Three run-rules in a row! 12-1.
Final for weekend 36-4
Hokies finish 3rd in the ACC given all the tie breaker rules!
Congratulations
Hokies get a first round bye and will play Thursday, May 7 at 7:30pm against the winner of #6 uva and #11 pitt. All games on ACCN.