May 8, 2008

• 2008 ACC Softball Championship Site
• Webcast Archived on ACC Select
• Box Score
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COLLEGE PARK, Md. - After allowing three hits and three runs in the first inning, Virginia Tech star pitcher Angela Tincher settled down to hold Maryland to a single run over her last six innings as the Hokies prevailed 7-4 in the first round of the 2008 Atlantic Coast Conference Softball Championship at Maryland's Robert E. Taylor Stadium. Tincher, now 31-6 on the year, struck out 12 Maryland batters to improve her ACC career-leading total to 2,014.

Down 3-0 after the top half of the first inning, the Virginia Tech offense awoke to produce its largest run total against an ACC opponent since April 12.

The Hokies put two runs on the board in the bottom half of the first inning on a single by catcher Kelsey Hoffman, then added another run to tie the ballgame at three in the second. Tech then jumped ahead in the third, scoring their fourth run on a Maryland error on a pickoff play and a fifth on a single by designated player Jessica Everhart. In the fifth inning, the Hokies would tack on a pair of insurance runs, making the finals score 7-4.

Leading the Hokie offense on the day was center fielder Jenna Rhodes, second baseman Erin Ota and catcher Kelsey Hoffman, who recorded a pair of hits each, and Everhart, who led all Tech batters with two RBIs. Leaders for the Terrapins were right fielder Jenny Belak, who had two hits and scored twice, and Brittany Bessho, who knocked in her seventh home run of the year in the first inning.

Tech, now 42-15 on the year, advances to round two with the win and will take on third-seeded Florida State in Friday's second game at 12:30 p.m. The Terps, who drop to 36-22 this season, will face Boston College in an elimination game tonight at 8:00 p.m.

The 2008 ACC Softball Championship continues this afternoon with first round games between top-seeded North Carolina and No. 8 seed Virginia. That game, scheduled to begin at 3:40 p.m., will be followed by the No.4/5 matchup between Georgia Tech and NC State.