May 24, 2008

Hokies fall to Wolverines, 1-0, in Super Regional action

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - Angela Findlay's RBI single in the sixth inning was enough to lift the No. 4 national seed Michigan Wolverines to a 1-0 win over Virginia Tech Saturday afternoon in NCAA Super Regional softball action in front of 2,267 fans at Alumni Field.

The best-of-three series features the nation's top pitching staff in terms of ERA in Michigan and the national leader in ERA in Tech's Angela Tincher, so it came as no surprise the two teams were scoreless through five innings.

"I thought Angela threw well today, but we just didn't come up with enough runs to win," head coach Scot Thomas said. "We got the pitching effort to win, but we didn't get the runs to get the job done."

In the bottom of the sixth inning, UM's Alessandra Giampaolo fouled off six pitches before lacing a one-out double to the gap and was then lifted for pinch runner Michelle Weatherdon. After striking out pinch hitter Marley Powers on three pitches, Tincher gave up a single up the middle to Findlay. Tech centerfielder Jessica Everhart came up throwing, but the throw was just a bit late as Weatherdon slid under the tag of Tech catcher Kelsey Hoffman.

"I was just trying to mix my pitches and she [Giampaolo] was fouling some off," Tincher said of her duel with Michigan's left fielder. "I think I left the last one a little bit in, but I didn't feel like it was a terrible pitch. Then it was the same thing with Findlay. She just kind of placed it in the right spot. I wish it would've been over a little bit so we could've kept it in the infield, but it was a good battle by her, too, and good placement."

Tech had a couple of good chances in the game. Jenna Rhodes led off with an infield single and Erin Ota was hit by a pitch to lead off the game, but they were left stranded in the first inning.

In the Hokies' half of the sixth, Rhodes again singled, but was thrown out on an attempted stolen base. That would be huge as Ota singled, which would have given Rhodes the opportunity to score.