Top-Seeded Yellow Jackets Seek Third Straight ACC Softball Tournament Championship

Winning back-to-back league championships is a special accomplishment.

But clinching three consecutive tournament titles equates to a dynasty.

This is the goal for top-seeded Georgia Tech (44-9) softball as it begins its quest for a third straight ACC Tournament championship Friday night at 5 p.m. against the eighth-seeded Virginia Cavaliers at Mewborn Field.

The Yellow Jackets have won the last 11 meetings with the Cavaliers (23-30) on the softball diamond, including a pair of victories in a rain-shortened series in Charlottesville just last month.

“I think it’s nice that we just played them a couple of weekends ago,” said head coach Sharon Perkins, who earlier this season earned her 200th career win as the Yellow Jackets skipper in a March 13th win over Georgia State. “I feel like Virginia is still pretty fresh on our minds. We know what we’re dealing with pitching-wise and we know our approach going into the game and how they’re going to come at us with their bats so I think we’re pretty confident going into that game.”

Though this weekend marks the first time in school history that the Yellow Jackets have hosted the tournament, Tech is familiar with being the odds-on favorite, entering the tourney as the top-seed for the third straight year.

“It’s always nice to be at home,” said Perkins. “I think we have a good following and we always get a good crowd at home so it’s nice to be at home where you can have more family and friends there too.”

Much of Georgia Tech’s success in 2011 en route to their 44-9 regular season mark can be traced to the gaudy numbers the squad has produced at the plate this season. The Yellow Jackets are hovering near the top nationally in nearly every major offensive category, ranking 10th in team batting average, 12th in runs scored, and second in home runs with an astonishing 99.

The Jackets are led by junior shortstop Kelsi Weseman, who was named ACC Softball Co-Player of the Week for the second time this season on Tuesday.

Weseman has turned in one of the top offensive seasons in school history in 2011. Her 21 home runs this season lead the nation and rank third all-time in Yellow Jackets softball history. Weseman also leads the nation in slugging percentage with a 1.034 mark and is batting .445, good enough for tops in the ACC.

“She’s had a great season and as of late she’s really had a hot bat,” said Perkins. “She’s definitely one that with the game on the line I’d like to have at the plate.”

With a win over the Cavaliers, the Yellow Jackets will face the winner of the game between No. 4 Florida State (27-26) and No. 5 Virginia Tech (37-19) in the semifinals Saturday at 3:30 p.m.

Surprisingly, the Hokies and Seminoles are the only two teams that have defeated Georgia Tech in conference play this season.