It took them one game longer than they would have liked, but the Hokies have won the Knoxville Regional. Tech needed to win one game today against Tennessee to advance. They couldn’t get it done in the first game, falling 7-1. With both teams facing elimination in the deciding game, it was the Hokies who came through, beating the Vols 4-2 and advancing to face 4th-seeded Michigan.
The first game of the day got ugly very quickly. Angela Tincher had pitched every inning on Friday and Saturday for the Hokies, but she lasted just over one inning in Sunday’s first game. She gave up four runs on four hits and three walks before head coach Scot Thomas had seen enough. He pulled Tincher early in the second inning, saving her for the deciding game of the Regional. Tennessee went on to win the first game 7-1.
The second game started out poorly for the Hokies as well. Tennessee scored a run in the bottom of the first, despite not getting a hit. An error was very costly for Tech, and the Vols took a quick 1-0 lead at the end of the first inning.
Despite trailing 1-0, Angela Tincher had a no-hitter going through three innings. In the top of the fourth, Tech’s bats finally came to life. The Hokies finally started getting to Tennessee starter Megan Rhodes, scoring four runs in the top half of the fourth. The big shot was delivered by Misty Hall, who drilled a two-run homer. It was her second home run of the regional. The first one beat Louisville on Friday night.
That was all Tincher needed. She cruised through the next three innings. Things got a little dicey in the bottom of the seventh, when she allowed a solo home run to Erinn Webb. However, she settled down and retired everyone else in order.
Tincher allowed just one earned run and four hits, while striking out 12 batters in the deciding game.
The Hokies will now get ready to play the Michigan Wolverines, the #4 overall seed in the tournament. It will be a best of three series, with game one scheduled for this Friday, May 23.
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