Virginia Tech Softball vs No. 25 Duke: Series Preview

The Hokies are riding a 15-game win streak into their opening ACC series against the No. 25 Duke Blue Devils, as they currently sit at a 22-2. A record that stands as a program record, as each game since the 20-2 mark for Tech has been an extension of such mark.

Got it done 👏#Hokies pic.twitter.com/p9oayeBUkw
— Virginia Tech Softball (@HokiesSoftball) March 12, 2026

The two sides didn't square off last season, with the most recent square-off happening during the 2024 season, when then No. 5 Duke swept Tech, outscoring the Hokies 25-12 over the three-game set.

In 2024, the Blue Devils lost nine games all season in their path to their Women's College World Series appearance; in 2026, Duke sits at 16-9 entering the conference battle.

For the Hokies, this contest will be won in the circle, which may sound obvious, but the Blue Devils' lineup is extremely pungent.

Duke's consistent 1-5 batters in the lineup all hit over a .400 batting average, led by second baseman Aminah Vega with a .488 average. Speedy outfielder D'Auna Jennings pencils in as the usual leadoff bat with a .526 on-base percentage.

In all three faceoffs, getting to the bottom of the Blue Devils' lineup cleanly, but more importantly, handling business down there, will be key. If Duke can roll its lineup over to the top with any runners on, with multiple outs to play with, it will be a tough jam for any Tech arm to navigate.

The Blue Devils have a step-ladder of experience in the circle, as only four arms have taken the circle for the blue-and-black squad, with four different levels of experience that range from senior to redshirt freshman.

Senior ace Cassidy Curd has taken the brunt of the innings for Duke, 69.1 of such, leading junior Larissa Jacquez by over 27 innings of work. Curd's eight complete games pair with her 1.21 whip, a solid number that all arms hover around. Redshirt freshman Ava Bradshaw has the lowest whip of 1.82 over her 23.2 IP.

If the Hokies can muster up six runs, which they've done in 20 of their 24 contests, that will be the magic number, I believe, to have a comfortable chance at taking each matchup.

Tech has knocked 43 home runs over the fence this season, which is second in the ACC only behind the Tar Heels (55). Though the Hokies versability showed through in their midweek contest against Elon, scoring their first 11 of 14 runs without a trot around the bases.

The Durham series will bookend with two 6 p.m. ET start times on Friday, March 13, and Sunday, March 15, while the Saturday, March 14 contest will have first pitch at 2 p.m. Coverage for the weekend slate will be available on the ESPN app.