Road to OKC: A&M 1, VT 0

It was an outstanding performance by two remarkable athletes in Angela Tincher and Megan Gibson. What I was most impressed by was Tincher dialing it up to 70 mph on four consecutive pitches to record two strikeouts with a potential go-ahead run on third base in the fourth.

However, in the sixth, Virginia Tech gave up the only run Texas A&M needed when the always reliable Charisse Mariconda threw wildly to first base on what would have been the third out of the inning. Virginia Tech outplayed a superior team for the most part, but was unable to string its hits together. Texas A&M was and the heart of its order scratched across an unearned run against Tincher, who was her typical dominant self.

Something you may not have noticed watching on TV: ESPN's TV breaks between innings were unbearably long. At the beginning of the game, Tincher and Gibson would complete their warmups and then have to wait almost a minute before the inning would start. Both adjusted and toward the end of the game would wait a minute in the dugout before going out to begin their warmups.

Tough luck for Tech. But, this is a double elimination tournament and they will get a chance to survive and advance against No. 1 Florida at noon Saturday. Below are pictures from Thursday's loss to A&M:


Entrance to Don E. Porter ASA Hall of Fame Stadium


Fan Fest outside the stadium


Game 1 between UF and ULL


The new and improved scoreboard at the stadium


Hokies before their first WCWS game


The Hokie Bird makes an appearance in OKC. First time ever?


Hokies take the field for the bottom of the first


Hokies bat in the top of the seventh


Hokies fall to A&M and enter the losers bracket