BLACKSBURG - The 19^th-ranked Virginia Tech softball team swept its New River Valley rivals Tuesday afternoon, downing Radford 3-1 and 13-3 (5) at Tech Softball Park.

In the first game, Radford took a 1-0 lead in the third inning, touching up Angela Tincher for a single run, but the Hokies stormed back in the fourth inning to get things back under control. Erin Ota scored from first base on Charisse Mariconda's double to the gap to tie it up. Mariconda took third base on the throw home and tied up the game on Kelsey Hoffman's RBI groundout. Misty Hall then put it away with a solo home run to center field to make it 3-0.

After a rough start, Tincher settled down to pick up the win and move to 24-5 on the year. She tossed 138 pitches for the game and walked five batters in the first three innings, but settled down nicely to finish with a two-hitter, walking no more after that point. The senior from Eagle Rock, Va., finished with 17 strikeouts.

The Hokies struggled at the plate for much of the game, finishing with just three hits, one each from Mariconda, Hall and Whitney Davis.

Tech came alive in the second game, busting out for five runs in the first inning. Tincher got the start and struck out two in the first inning, but was relieved in the second inning after the Hokies took the big lead. In the first, Hall drew a bases-loaded walk before Beth Walker drove in two with a single to center field. Jess Hodge drove in two runs with a single up the middle to make it 5-0.

The Highlanders closed the gap in the second inning on a two-run home run, but Tech got those runs right back in the bottom of the second inning. Walker drove in another run with a single to right-center field and Hoffman scored on a wild pitch.

In the fourth inning, the Hokies went wild, scoring six runs to end the game after five runs due to the run-ahead rule. Walker drove in her fourth run of the day with a single and Hoffman and Hall scored when Davis singled. With the bases loaded, Ota obliterated a ball to deep left field to drive in Walker, Davis and Jenna Rhodes.

Tincher went an inning, giving up a single with two strikeouts. Roark (W, 2-3) went the final four innings, allowing three earned runs on five hits with a walk and two strikeouts.

Walker led the way at the plate with three hits, four RBI and two runs scored. Six other Hokies - Rhodes, Ota, Mariconda, Hoffman, Davis and Hodge - each had one hit in the nine-hit attack.

For the day, Tincher picked up 19 more strikeouts, going over the 1,900 mark for her career. She now sits just 95 away from becoming the third pitcher in NCAA history to surpass the 2,000 punchouts for a career.

With the wins, the Hokies improve to 34-11 on the season. They will remain at home for the rest of the week and host Liberty (9-29-1) on Wednesday, April 16 as part of the university's "Day of Remembrance" in a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. Special ceremonies are planned to begin at 2:50.