Collegiate Times

With the two top pitchers in the NCAA going up against each other, offense was hard to come by in the first place. As two of the three finalists prior to the selection of the College Player of the Year, Tincher and the Aggies' pitcher Megan Gibson both followed through with impressive performances.

Tincher and Gibson struck out nine of their opponents' batters, while Tincher trumped Gibson in hits allowed, allowing just two to Gibson's five. Luckily, for Texas A&M, runs are what matter.The lone run in game one came from the Aggies after Hokies' third baseman Charisa Mariconda's throwing error advanced A&M's pinch runner, Andrea Tovar, to home plate in the bottom of the sixth inning.

One run was all the Aggies needed, as five hits proved insufficient to drive in a tying run for the Hokies.

Head coach Scot Thomas told hokiesports.com, "We found a way to get five hits but we couldn't get anyone over to third ... But I'm not worried about our team. We're going to find a way to score runs."After a 1-0 first round loss, Tech was faced with a true must-win game, this time against the No. 1 Florida Gators.While the Hokies were confident in their ability to be resilient, the cards just didn't go their way over the weekend.

With both teams scoreless through eight innings, Florida's Mary Ratliff came up with the clutch hit both teams had been looking for. With the bases loaded, Ratliff drove a double past Tech shortstop Misty Hall to put her Gators up 2-0.

Unfortunately, the Hokies were unable to answer in the bottom of the ninth and were eliminated from playoff contention.According to hokiesports.com, after the game, Tincher said, "I think we've had a great year - we've had some big wins and we've obviously done the best that we've done in (the seniors') four years here ... We battled back in Knoxville and Ann Arbor, but unfortunately we didn't get the big runs that we needed today."

Although they fell short in the World Series, the Hokies exceeded expectations this year. An unbelievable run came to a close Saturday, on the same field it started on in March. When it's all said and done, the 1973 men's basketball team and the 2000 football title competitors may have some company.

"I think this team right here will go down as one of the greatest in Virginia Tech history, and I'm proud to be associated with these ladies," said Thomas to hokiesports.com.

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