Today’s ACC tournament opener against No. 3-seeded Georgia Tech will not be a low-scoring pitcher’s duel for the No. 6-seeded Terrapin softball team.

Instead, the 10 a.m. game in Tallahassee, Fla. will be a “battle of the bats,” according to senior first baseman Lindsay Klein.

The Yellow Jackets are ranked first in the ACC with a blistering .330 team batting average, but the Terps are not far behind, ranking third with a .282 team average. The Yellow Jackets also lead the ACC in hits, runs, doubles, home runs and RBIs per game.

Both teams have nothing to brag about when it comes to pitching. The Yellow Jackets are fifth in the ACC and the Terps are sixth. The Terps are also without one of their top pitchers, seniors Stacey Jennings, who is out with a fractured foot. Sophomore Meredith Nelles has 18 wins this season and will see most of the action from the pitcher’s circle, with senior Abbey Welch most likely coming out of the bullpen for relief.

“[Nelles] is definitely going to have to be focused and hit her spots,” coach Laura Watten said. “She’s been playing really well recently and can absolutely lead us through the game and keep their bats at bay.”

The two teams met twice earlier this season, with the Yellow Jackets taking both games, 7-3 and 7-2. After being tied 3-3 in the fifth inning of the first game, the Yellow Jackets pulled away with two runs in both the fifth and sixth innings. The Yellow Jackets jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead in the second game before the Terps scored their first run.

Watten wants her team to have a chip on their shoulders after the earlier losses.

“I hope there is a mission to go out and attack them strongly,” Watten said.

Klein has no problem with that.

“We would like to give them a good beating,” Klein said. “It hurts more now that it’s an ACC tournament game.”

Coming into the tournament with a 16-game winning streak, the Yellow Jackets are led by senior outfielder Caitlin Lever, who is a top-10 finalist for the USA Collegiate Softball Player of the Year. Lever led the ACC with a .465 batting average and hits and was named to All-ACC first team along with teammates Savannah Brown, Whitney Haller and Aileen Morales.

But the Terps are no slouches inthemselves, as senior shortstop Amber Jackson was also named to the All-ACC first team. Jackson leads the ACC in home runs, stolen bases, walks and on-base percentage. Klein and senior catcher/outfielder Jennifer Wellborn were also nominated for all-conference honors.

The Terps go into today’s game with a little momentum after winning their second ACC series of the season with two straight wins against Boston College last weekend.

“It’s definitely a step in a positive direction,” Jackson said. “We’re excited and believing in ourselves.”

The winner of the tournament-opening game between the Terps and the Yellow Jackets will play the winner of the No. 2 N.C. State vs. No. 7 Boston College game.

The Wolfpack boasts ACC Player of the Year Abbie Sims as well as Jen Chamberlin and Shanna Smith, who were also named to the all-conference first team. Meanwhile, the Eagles had two players, Jenna Macchi and Britney Thompson, named to the All-ACC second team.

Contact reporter Kyle Wannen at kwannendbk@gmail.com.