March 28, 2006

Box Scores

Hokies 1, USC 0
Hokies 2, USC (5)

 

BLACKSBURG - The Virginia Tech softball team swept a doubleheader from the University of South Carolina Tuesday afternoon at Tech Softball Park. In the opener, the Hokies scored an unearned run to win 1-0 before winning a rain-shortened second game, 2-1.

In the opener, Tech rode strong pitching from Angela Tincher and capitalized on a Gamecock error to pick up the win. In the fourth inning, Kelly Brown led off the inning with a walk and moved to second on Stephanie Savre's sacrifice bunt. She moved to third on Charisse Mariconda's ground out and scored the game-winner when USC shortstop Christie Hamilton couldn't handle a routine grounder off the bat of Jessica Everhart.

That would be all Tincher would need as she pitched all seven innings to pick up the win and run her record to 15-2. She allowed just three hits and a walk while striking out 11 to pick up her fourth shut out of the season.

At the plate, Erin Ota led the way with two hits. Savre, Everhart and Caroline Stolle each had a hit in the game.

In the second game, Carolina took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Jessica Josker scored on Ashley Smith's single up the middle. Tech responded with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Callie Rhodes doubled and moved to third on Ota's infield single. She came home to tie it up when Savre lifted a fly ball to left field deep enough to score Rhodes on the sacrifice fly.

The game remained tied until the fourth when Everhart blasted a solo home run to left field to give the Hokies a 2-1 lead. That run proved to be huge as lightning flashed just after the fifth inning was completed and the game became official. The game was called due to darkness and impending weather and Tech picked up the win.

Katie Maynard (W, 10-6) pitched 5.0 innings to pick up the win. She allowed one earned run on two hits, while walking four and striking out six.

At the plate, Rhodes, Ota and Everhart had the three hits for the Hokies.

With the sweep, Tech improves to 25-8 overall and will return to action this weekend with an ACC series at Boston College this weekend. On Saturday, the two play a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. On Sunday, they'll play a single game at 1 o'clock.