Episode 3- Week 2 ACC Hitter’s Digest

Welcome back to Episode 3 of Up the Coast with Alex & Britt where we dive week 2 of ACC Softball- an absolute hitter’s dream!

RUNS RUNS RUNS..it was an exhausting weekend of watching softball IMO

• Is pitching struggling across the country? Are hitters THAT good? Good for the game? Analytics? 
• 2, 30 run games in clearwater
• PitchCom and pitch clock not going to help if the game continues in this direction

Concerns for Florida State?

• Pitching
• Vs Stanford. Combined shutout w/ Royalty and Danley
• Beat NiJaree Canady
• Vs UCLA, 14 runs, 11BB, 2HBP, 
• 5 pitchers, Danley, Reid, Royalty, Gooden, Wilson
• Vs Georgia, 20 runs, 12 BB, 2 HBP
• Wilson, Danley, Reid, Balk, Gooden
• Could have been worse a 3 run HR was negated for running walking off of 3b early..for no apparent reason/rumor is she did it on purpose to speed up game because of weather. Took HR from freshman
• The offensive production SHOULD be enough to win ball games but obviously we see that’s not how it’s playing out
• Appreciation for Kat Sandercock

Is Duke the best team in the ACC right now?

• One of the few teams in country showing pitching and hitting
• Midweek W vs NDSU 18-0
• Ana Gold- 2 grand slams; 8 RBI vs. North Dakota State
• Kelly Torres- 1 grand slam; 4 RBI vs. North Dakota State
• W’s vs Rutgers, FIU & Army
• Only given up 8 runs this season
• Most runs given up  in 1 games is 3 vs Oklahoma & Iowa State
• 5 shutouts on the season in 9 games
• Ana Gold- reaches 100 hits, 100 RBI, 100 runs scored last week (career)

Clemson

• In Puerto Vallarta
• Big games vs Utah and Auburn canceled- lost to Mississippi State
• No tarp, ran out of turface…quality tournament?
• Cagle 

Virginia Tech

• Vs ASU, solid outing from Emma Lemley
• Lemley 5in CG, only 2bb and 6 ks
• Team hit 2 more HR
• Lost in extra innings vs Cal (ACC 2025 preview)
• No Lemley, 1 HR from Castine…live and die by the long ball
• Run rule loss to Grand Canyon 🥺

UNC

• Swinging it
• Lead the ACC in team batting average (.415)
• Top two hitters in the ACC:
• Alex Coleman .682
• Carsyn Snead .579
• Lost 12-10 in crazy game vs Kentucky
• Can swing it
• W 2-1 vs UCF
• Showed ability to play small ball

GT

• Aggressive at the plate, taking big confident swings, look solid offensively
• Scored 8 runs against LSU, 7 against Stanford
• Mallorie Black- .727 batting average last week
• 1.968 on base percentage 
• Defense is big concern for me, not all errors on paper but not clean
• 11 errors

NC State

• Defense looking solid- a couple wins last weekend
• Double plays
• Sports Center Top 10- Ellie Goins robs a HR (SC #5)

Louisville

• Zabala lights out in the circle
• Zabala shutout Michigan, a 2-0
• Currently 10-1

Current top 5 ranking in ACC?

• Alex & Britt rank their top 5 ACC teams

Looking ahead

• FSU
• Much needed rebuild week? Bring in FIU, Charleston Southern, Nicholls
• Clemson
• Midweek vs Charlotte
• Bring in Ole Miss, UCONN, Miami OH- should win out this week
• Duke
• Bring in Elon, Villanova, Mich St, Boston U*
• VT
• Head to athens, includes 2 games vs Georgia (undefeated beat OSU, UCLA and FSU)
• Keys for VT to beat UGA
• Keep Georgia run production to a minimum- they are absolutely swinging it