ACC Softball Tournament schedule, prediction: Is Duke or Florida State the favorite?

Duke softball carries the top seed into the 2024 ACC Softball Championship tournament, which begins Wednesday and concludes with Saturday’s title game in Durham.

The fifth-ranked Blue Devils (44-6) are one of four ACC teams ranked in the latest USA Today Coaches Poll, joining No. 12 Florida State (41-13), No. 16 Virginia Tech (39-11-1) and No. 23 Clemson (33-16).

The four-day event at Duke Softball Stadium begins Wednesday with No. 8 Syracuse (28-22) vs. No. 9 Boston College (29-23), followed by No. 7 UNC (30-19) vs. No. 10 Notre Dame (26-22).

Tickets range from $5-25 and are available on theACC.com, GoDuke.com or by calling the Duke Athletics Ticket Office at 919-681-6767. All tickets will be digital and sent via mobile delivery.

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Here’s a look at the full schedule and bracket, along with TV info and times for the 2024 tournament. Plus, a preview and some predictions.

ACC Softball Tournament 2024 preview for Duke, Florida State, Virginia Tech, Clemson

Here's a look at four of the favorites entering the 2024 ACC Softball Championship.

Duke

Coming off their first ACC regular-season title in program history, the Blue Devils will try to win the tournament for the first time since 2021. Duke’s pitching staff has been elite with the third-best ERA (1.54) in the nation. Senior ace Jala Wright has the fifth-best ERA (1.15) in the country. Duke also has a top-15 offense with a .335 batting average as a team. Claire Davidson has a .423 batting average with 17 home runs and 61 RBIs.

Florida State

The Seminoles have dominated the tournament with championship-winning finishes in 19 of their 32 appearances. FSU has a top-six offense with a .347 batting average, led by star freshman Jaysoni Beachum, who has a .443 batting average (the seventh-best average in the nation), 15 home runs and 63 RBIs. With Beachum, the Noles could win a third title in a row.

Virginia Tech

The Hokies, who haven’t won the ACC Tournament since securing back-to-back championships in 2007-08, finished the regular season with an undefeated record at home and boast one of the best offenses in the nation. Virginia Tech is seventh in batting average (.345) and has six players with at least 13 home runs, powered by senior Emma Ritter (.423 batting average) and junior Cori McMillan (20 home runs).

Clemson

The Tigers have played in two of the last three championship games, but they remain in search of the program’s first tournament crown. If Clemson is going to make a run this week, it starts with a pitching staff that logged the 22nd-best ERA (2.27 ERA) nationally in the regular season. Clemson is led by a trio of senior standouts in the circle — Millie Thompson, Valerie Cagle and Regan Spencer. Thompson has the best ERA (1.77), Cagle has a team-best 96 strikeouts and Spencer has limited opponents to a .229 batting average in a team-high 98 innings.

ACC Softball Tournament prediction

Duke beats Florida State: In a rematch of the 2023 championship, which the Seminoles won 2-1 with a walk-off finish, the Blue Devils will dish out some revenge. Duke won two of three games at FSU in the regular season, including a 9-5 win in eight innings on March 17. The Devils will get it done in Durham with their elite pitching.

ACC Softball Championship schedule, bracket

Wednesday, May 8

• Game 1: No. 8 Syracuse vs. No. 9 Boston College, 1 p.m. (ACC Network)

• Game 2: No. 7 UNC vs. No. 10 Notre Dame, 3:30 p.m.

Thursday, May 9

• Game 3: No. 1 Duke vs. No. 8 Syracuse or No. 9 Boston College, 11 a.m. (ACC Network)

• Game 4: No. 4 Virginia vs. No. 5 Clemson, 1:30 p.m. (ACC Network)

• Game 5: No. 2 Florida State vs. No. 7 UNC or No. 10 Notre Dame, 5 p.m. (ACC Network)

• Game 6: No. 3 Virginia Tech vs. No. 6 Georgia Tech, 7:30 p.m. (ACC Network)

Friday, May 10

• Game 7: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4, 1 p.m. (ACC Network)

• Game 8: Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6, 3:30 p.m. (ACC Network)

Saturday, May 11

Championship, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter. 

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: ACC Softball Tournament schedule, bracket, prediction: Will Duke win?