March 31, 2005

SALEM, Va. - The Virginia Tech softball team swept a pair of games Thursday evening from Radford University at the James Moyer Sports Complex. In the first game, Tech battled back for a 5-4 win, followed by a 3-1 win in the nightcap. The games were not originally scheduled, but both teams needed games, so the doubleheader was scheduled for Tech Softball Park. After Tech's field proved unplayable, the games were moved to Salem.

In the opener, Radford scored a run in the first and third innings to take a 2-0 lead. Tech took its first lead of the game in the bottom of the third inning when Megan Evans hit a three-run home run to left-center field, scoring Theresa Walsh and Kelly Brown. It marked Evans' 10^th homer of the season and the 44^th of her career.

Tech pitcher Katie Maynard couldn't hold the lead, giving up a two-run home run to Cassie Rhodes in the top of the fourth inning. Her teammates picked her up in the bottom half of the inning, scoring two runs. Kelsey Hoffman doubled and was pinch run for by Crystal Beach. Beach moved up to third on Walsh's single and scored on Brown's sacrifice fly. Walsh scored on Caitlin Murphy's single to left to make it 5-4, proving to be the game-winning run.

At the plate, Hoffman led the way with two hits. Brown, Murphy, Evans (3 RBI), Alisia Narodowski, Sarah Prosise, Kathleen Jones and Walsh each had a hit. Maynard went the distance to run her record to 11-4. She allowed five hits, four runs (three earned) and two walks while striking out two.

In the second game, Tech jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Caroline Stolle crushed a pitch to deep left field for her second home run of the season. Tech added to its lead in the fourth inning when Hoffman singled in Jones. The Highlanders cut into the lead in the sixth inning with an unearned run, but Stolle topped her second-inning effort with another solo home run, this time topping the 250-foot mark that was still rising as it went over the center field fence.

That run was huge as it provided a cushion for freshman Angela Tincher, who was once again dazzling in the circle. She went the distance, allowing just one unearned run on five hits and two walks while striking out 13 to improve to 15-4 on the season.

At the plate, Stolle led the way with a career-high three hits and two RBI. Hoffman picked up two more hits while Murphy, Evans, Prosise and Walsh each had one hit.

Tech (30-8, 1-2 ACC) is back in action this weekend, traveling to Tallahassee, Fla., for a three-game series with Florida State University (21-16, 3-5 ACC). Tech will play a doubleheader on Saturday starting at 1 p.m., before playing a single game Sunday at 1 o'clock.