University of North Carolina Athletics
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Virginia Tech
Top-Seeded Virginia Tech Ousts Carolina From ACC Tournament
May 12, 2007 | Softball
May 12, 2007
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. --- Virginia Tech's Angela Tincher threw a two-hit shutout and faced one batter over the minimum in disposing of North Carolina 3-0 Saturday afternoon at JoAnne Graf Field on the campus of Florida State University, ending UNC's run in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament. The Tar Heels (45-19) now await word of their postseason fate, which will be revealed with the announcement of the NCAA Division I softball tournament bracket Sunday at 3 p.m ET on ESPN News.
Tincher, who became the ACC's all-time strikeout leader on day one of the tournament, moved her record to 36-5 on the season with the win. The junior struck out 11 Tar Heel batters to put her career total at 1,424 strikeouts. Georgia Tech's Jessica Sallinger held the previous mark of 1,398, set from 2002-2005.
While Tincher was certainly a force in the circle for No. 21 Virginia Tech, Carolina was uncharacteristically hurt by its defense as well. Two errors proved especially costly for Carolina in the top of the third inning when the Hokies (47-14) pushed across an unearned run for the first scoring of the game. Kelsy Rokey singled to open the inning and pinch-runner Jenna Rhodes advanced to third when Joslin Higgins' attempt to get the force out at second on a groundout scooted past Anna Evans at second and trickled into centerfield. Rhodes made the sprint home when catcher Theresa Nicholas tried for a pickoff at first but had her throw sail into right field, making the score 1-0 Virginia Tech.
The Hokies added their second unearned run in the fourth as another UNC miscue came back to bite the Tar Heels. Stephanie Savre singled to right field to lead off the frame and moved to third when Emily Troup misplayed the ball, allowing it to roll all the way to the fence. A sacrifice fly to centerfield from Kelsey Hoffman was plenty deep to score Savre, and Virginia Tech had a two-run lead.
A Callie Rhodes leadoff single followed by a stolen base gave the Hokies a runner in scoring position in the fifth, which they converted into a run courtesy of a one-out Caroline Stolle RBI single that made the score 3-0.
Tincher dominated the action from there, though a Ciara Rimoldi single up the middle in the sixth inning for UNC ended her bid for a perfect game. Amber Johnson fell to 14-6 on the year with the loss, despite giving up just one earned run on six hits in her five innings of work.
The ACC regular-season champions, Virginia Tech now advances to face the No. 3 seed Georgia Tech in Sunday's championship, a game that will be broadcast live on RSN at Noon ET. Both teams enter the game with 3-0 records in the tournament.
