May 6, 2008

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - Coming off its seventh consecutive ACC series win and first regular season title since 1998 the No. 13 North Carolina softball team (49-9-1) will open the ACC Tournament on Thursday as the top seed in search of its second ACC title in school history. The Tar Heels have won a school record 49 games on the year and will face off against the No. 8-seeded Virginia Cavaliers (15-36) at 3 p.m. on Thursday in College Park, Md. Every game of the tournament can be seen on ACC Select, with the 2008 ACC Softball Championship on Sunday scheduled to be televised on the ACC Regional Sports Network.

In 16 previous ACC Tournaments, the Tar Heels own an 18-30 overall record with a 3-6 mark as the top team entering the tournament. The Tar Heels and Cavaliers have met 14 times in the ACC Tournament with both teams claiming seven victories apiece.

2008 ACC Softball Championship Schedule
Thursday, May 8
Game 1 - #3 Florida State vs. #6 Boston College, 10:00 a.m.
Game 2 - #2 Virginia Tech vs. #7 Maryland, 12:30 p.m.
Game 3 - #1 North Carolina vs. #8 Virginia, 3:00 p.m.
Game 4 - #4 Georgia Tech vs. #5 NC State, 5:30 p.m. Game 5 - Loser of Game 1 vs. Loser of Game 2, 8:00 p.m.

Friday, May 9
Game 6 - Loser of Game 3 vs. Loser of Game 4, 10:00 a.m.
Game 7 - Winner of Game 1 vs. Winner of Game 2, 12:30 p.m.
Game 8 - Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4, 3:00 p.m.
Game 9 - Winner of Game 6 vs. Loser of Game 7, 5:30 p.m.
Game 10 - Winner of Game 5 vs. Loser of Game 8, 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, May 10
Game 11 - Winner of Game 7 vs. Winner of Game 10, 11:00 a.m.
Game 12 - Winner of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 9, 1:30 p.m.
Game 13 - same as Game 11 if necessary, 5:00 p.m.
Game 14 - same as Game 12 if necessary, 7:00 p.m.

Sunday, May 11
Game 15 - Game 11 or 13 winner vs. Game 12 or 14 winner, 12:00 p.m.*

* - Sunday's Championship game will be televised on the league's Regional Sports Network - FSN South, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic and New England Sports Network (NESN).