CHARLOTTE - The Virginia Tech softball team took a pair of wins Saturday on the first day of the Green & White Classic, being hosted by UNC Charlotte. In the first game, Tech had to work an extra frame en route to a 2-1 win over the host 49ers and then rolled past Presbyterian, 9-0, in six innings in the final game.

In the opener, a single through the left side by Charisse Mariconda in the bottom of the eighth inning lifted the Hokies to a 2-1 win over the previously undefeated Charlotte 49ers.

Charlotte took a 1-0 lead in the fifth inning on a pair of hits, capped off by a double by Tenaya Tucker. The Hokies (5-2) tied the game up in the bottom of the inning. Jenna Rhodes reached on an infield single and moved up on Erin Ota's single to the gap. Rhodes came around to score on a single to centerfield by Jessica Everhart.

The game remained tied at 1-1 after seven innings forcing the tiebreaker rule. In the top of the eighth, Charlotte got a runner to third base before All-American Angela Tincher got a strikeout and a pop up to end the threat. In Tech's half of the inning, Everhart started the inning on second base and moved up on Misty Hall's sacrifice bunt. The game ended on Mariconda's single through the left side, giving the Hokies the 2-1 win.

Tincher (W, 3-1) went all eight innings, allowing one earned run on three hits with 18 strikeouts and three walks. The earned run was the first of the season allowed by Tincher in 26.0 innings pitched.

At the plate, Rhodes and Caroline Stolle each had two hits. Ota, Everhart and Mariconda each had one hit.

In the second game, the Hokies jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the first inning. Ota scored on a double down the line by Everhart and Everhart scored on Hall's single to left field.

In the fourth, the Hokies tacked on another run to make it 3-0. Senior Elly Gosby picked up her first hit at Tech with a single on a hit-and-run to left-center field, driving in Mariconda.

Leading 3-0, the Hokies busted open the game in the sixth inning to end things early. Head coach Scot Thomas emptied the bench, letting three walk-ons get a chance at the plate. Morgan Harris, Alicia Field and Amber Walker all walked to load the bases before Whitney Davis singled through the left side to plate Harris. A walk by Gosby plated Field and the first collegiate hit by Jess Hodge drove in Walker to make it 7-0. Ota then ended the game with a two-RBI double to drive in Gosby and Hodge.

Heather Lowry (W, 1-0) continued her hot start in the circle with six shutout innings. She allowed three hits, walked none and struck out four.

At the plate, Hall picked up two hits and an RBI while both Gosby and Ota each had a hit and two RBI. Davis and Everhart each had a hit and an RBI while Stolle and Hodge both picked up a hit.

Tech, ranked 18^th in the country, finishes up tournament play Sunday, taking on Charleston Southern (0-2) at 9 a.m., followed by the championship game against the winner of Charlotte/Presbyterian at 1 p.m.