April 29, 2006
ATLANTA -Virginia Tech’s Angela Tincher and Katie Maynard threw complete games to lead the 25th-ranked Hokies (36-14, 12-7 ACC) to a sweep over Georgia Tech (42-18, 11-9 ACC), 4-2 and 4-1, in Atlantic Coast Conference softball action on Saturday at Glenn Field.
Junior left-handed pitcher Sarah Wood (16-7) was the tough-luck loser for the Yellow Jackets in the nightcap, throwing her ninth complete game of the season, scattering five hits, allowing four runs, no earned runs and struck out four.
Sophomore Whitney Humphreys (17-6) took the loss for Tech in the circle in the opener, throwing 3.0 innings, scattering six hits, three runs, three earned runs and struck out one. Senior Amy Hosier went 1-for-1, tying a school record with three walks in the game, while junior Caitlin Lever smashed her seventh home run of the season for the Yellow Jackets.
Tincher (24-6) tossed a complete-game, striking out a season-low seven, allowing five hits, two runs, one earned run and walked six for the Hokies. Kelly Brown went 3-for-4, with a double and one RBI to lead the Hokie bats in game one.
VT’s Maynard tossed her 11th complete game of the season in game two, allowing just one run, four hits and struck out six. Beth Walker supplied all the offense Maynard would need with a three-run home run in the fourth inning.
In game one, the Hokies took an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Charisse Mariconda doubled off the left field fence and Jessica Everhart singled through the right side to plate the second run.
The Yellow Jackets tied the game in the bottom of the second inning as junior Caitlin Lever led off with a home run to right field and sophomore Stephanie Butler doubled to shallow left-center field as the game moved to the third inning tied at 2-2.
VT’s Kelly Brown gave the Hokies their second lead of the game in the top of the third inning with a RBI double as the Yellow Jackets trailed, 3-2.
The Hokies scored an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning on a wild pitch as the Jackets went down by two runs, 4-2.
Tincher retired the Yellow Jackets in order in the bottom of the seventh inning to preserve the two-run win. Tech scored two runs, on five hits and had no errors, while VT scored four runs, on 11 hits and committed one error.
In game two, the Hokies broke open a pitcher’s duel in the top of the fourth inning as Walker homered to right field with two runners on base to plate three unearned runs to give Virginia Tech a 3-0 lead.
The Hokies scored another unearned run in the top of the fifth inning as the Jackets committed their second error of the game and trailed 4-0.
Hosier broke up VT’s Katie Maynard’s no-hit bid in the bottom of the fifth inning with two outs with a double to right-center field, but the Jackets stranded two more base runners as the Hokies continued to lead 4-0.
The Jackets got on the board in the bottom of the sixth inning on singles by junior Daisy Paez and senior Christine Sheridan as the Rambling Wreck trailed 4-1. With runners at second and third and two outs, Maynard tallied a big strikeout to keep the Hokies up by three.
The Jackets were unable to produce anymore runs as Tech dropped its first doubleheader at home all season long. Tech stranded 22 base runners in the two games.
The Rambling Wreck scored one run, on four hits and committed two errors, while VT scored four runs, five hits and had no errors.
The Yellow Jackets and Hokies will play the third and final game of the ACC series on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Glenn Field. The game can be followed via live stats on www.ramblinwreck.com.
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