Virginia Tech Stuns the U.S. National Team

Virginia Tech handed the U.S. softball team its first pre-Olympic tour loss in 12 years Wednesday night, a 1-0 no-hitter in Oklahoma City.

The U.S. team had defeated DePaul in the first game of a doubleheader, 23-0, extending its winning streak during pre-Olympic tours to 185 games. During the streak, the U.S. team outscored opponents, 1,475-24.

The Hokies' Angela Tincher struck out 10 and allowed one base runner on a one-out walk to Kelly Kretschman in the second inning. Tincher has pitched 12 career no-hitters.

"My hat goes off to Angela Tincher," U.S. Coach Mike Candrea said. "She pitched a great ballgame. I told our team what she was capable of and told them to be ready to go. But she came out firing and really kept us off our game."

The Hokies scored their only run in the second inning off Jennie Finch, one of 12 players on the U.S. squad who won gold at the 2004 Athens Games. Kelsey Hoffman led off with a double and was replaced by pinch runner Anna Zitt, who moved to third on a Finch's illegal pitch. Caroline Stolle's two-out bloop single scored Zitt.

Candrea will announce his final 15-player roster for Beijing today.

-- From News Services and Staff Reports