Collegiate Times

Former Virginia Tech softball pitcher Angela Tincher tossed a perfect game Saturday night for the Akron Racers of the National Pro Fastpitch League.

The Racers defeated the Philadelphia Force 11-0 in the fourth of a five-game sweep.

Akron used nine hits and took advantage of six Force errors to improve to 12-7 on the season.

Tincher threw six perfect innings before rain ended the game in the top of the seventh.

According to NPF rules, a game is complete after five innings if it has to be called off for inclement weather, so Tincher's perfect game was safely official.

"We were in the seventh innings and the skies just opened up", Tincher said. "We wanted to go back out and play, but it rained too much and they told us they just couldn't let us come back".

It was her first perfect game in the NPF, but definitely not the first in her lifetime. In high school at James River she threw 23 no-hitters.

At Tech she threw two perfect games her junior year in 2007, against Lehigh and Florida State, respectively.

Tincher was not even sure if she had thrown any perfect games in college.

"I think I had one my junior year against FSU, but I'm not really sure", Tincher said.

Having said that, this game easily proved to be the most memorable for her.

"This one is definitely different because it was against better competition and deeper lineups", Tincher said.

Any pitcher will always talk about the importance of having a great defense behind you, and in perfect games they play as big of a role as the pitcher sometimes.

"We had some great defensive plays to keep (the perfect game) alive, and they were all huge", Tincher said.

One of the biggest factors in her perfect game was having former Hokie Kelsey Hoffman catching the game behind the plate for Akron.

The Racers' coaching staff has made the move of starting Hoffman when Tincher pitches. Having the familiarity of Hoffman, who caught Tincher all through college, is extremely beneficial for both of them.

"It was so interesting and exciting that Kelsey caught me," Tincher said. It was fun that she was calling my signals again, and it really helps me with my rhythm. It is definitely a big advantage."

Through five starts this season, Tincher has a 4-1 record. She has pitched four complete games, and has allowed 19 hits in 33 innings.

Her ERA is 1.48, the lowest on the team. She has pitched a total of 33 innings, and has 37 strikeouts. She has allowed five extra-base hits, including three home runs.

She is not the only great pitcher on the staff, as three Akron pitchers have ERA's below 2.

"We have a great rotation, we do a good job of being able to give each other rest so we don't have to throw every day or close to it, and that definitely keeps us sharp", Tincher said.

She has less than three weeks left until the Pan Am games in Venezuela, where she will play for the United States team.

When asked if she was doing anything special to prepare for the games, she just cited her Racer's games as a great tune-up.

"Playing in the NPF is giving me all the game experience and practice I need," she said.

The Pan Am Games start Aug. 2, and it will be Tincher's first appearance as a member of any of the US professional squads.