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VTChip VTChip OP
May 23, 2026 at 07:30 PM ET
Interesting story in The Roanoker magazine on Angela Tincher's dad
"When his daughter asked him to teach her how to pitch, Denny Tincher began a journey that would produce a national champion, a historic no-hitter, and a softball training empire rooted in the Roanoke Valley." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ It's ironic that the Tinchers weren't in attendance when Angela threw the no hitter versus Team USA. “We actually missed the game,” Tincher said with a laugh. “We didn’t realize how big it was until ESPN aired a feature during the College World Series weeks later.” "Angela finished her career ranked among the top three pitchers in NCAA history for career strikeouts and strikeouts per game. She led Virginia Tech to the Women’s College World Series and later played professionally in both the United States and Japan."

24 Replies

2
2hhoop3
2mo
The Roanoke Valley has been home.....
to a lot of pitching coach talent that has instructed a lot of talent over the years. In addition to Denny Tincher, two other well known names were L.B. Bailey and Charlie Daniels. There were others, these were just two of the more prominent names at one time. Tincher has clearly expanded his organization with the benefit of his daughter. Good for them!
V
VT_AD
2mo
Daughter went to Tincher, Reynolds, and Daniels
Tincher clearly was the most polished and professional instructor. Reynolds is good for new pitchers and Daniels is good if you're a prototype size. Tincher seemed to adjust based on the pitcher and of course Angela was really good. ** Edited by VT_AD at 5/26/2026, 12:52:46 PM ** Edited by VT_AD at 5/26/2026, 12:53:16 PM
V
VT One
2mo
Add Ron Reynolds to that list.
J
Jethro Tull
2mo
Tincher was not from the Roanoke Valley
She attended James River HS near Buchanan. Believe they lived in Eagle Rock which is James River valley.
V
VT One
2mo
Actually they lived in Iron Gate on the Alleghany/Botetourt County lines.
line. A few miles north of Eagle Rock. You have the general area right though.
J
Jethro Tull
2mo
Wiki says Eagle Rock. Iron Gate is not in Botetourt County
Iron Gate is a little bigger (emphasis on little) and may have had a little more job opportunity. Her dad may have worked there. People who live in Iron Gate go to Allegheny HS not James River according to the internet. Iron Gate is in Allegheny county not Botetourt and James River HS is in another county.
V
VT One
2mo
Iron Gate is partly in Alleghany County and partly in Botetourt County.
Angela attended Alleghany High as a freshman. To transfer to James River her family moved to a house just inside the Botetourt County line. James River-Buchanan is in Botetourt County. Denny was involved with a radio station in the Allegheny Highlands region and moved to a location good for Botetourt residency and still close to his job.
UTPr0sim UTPr0sim
2mo
Part of Iron Gate is in Botetourt the other half Alleghany. The Botetourt
sign is on 220 on the south side of the town. Way before you get to the James. ** Edited by UTPr0sim at 5/24/2026, 8:45:07 AM
V
VTCALS72
2mo
Isn't the Iron Gate town line the Botetourt/Alleghany
line? My guess is a bunch of Botetourt residents have an Iron Gate mailing address. I had a friend in high school who live right where 3 counties came together. So he physically lived in one but had a mailing address from a 2nd county and a phone exchange from the 3rd.
J
Jethro Tull
2mo
Actually, you pass over the James in Glen Wilton going NE on 220
After passing through Gala about 7 miles south on 220. If the James is the line (and streams often are) then it is technically in another county. Wikipedia says she lived in Eagle Rock. That puts her about 7 miles from James River HS on Rt 43.
V
VTCALS72
2mo
Yep. The point
Her home could have had an Iron Gate address and still be in Botetourt Co and her school be JR.
UTPr0sim UTPr0sim
2mo
Yeah Whilipedia is ALWAYS right.
2
2hhoop3
2mo
I am aware of that....
and thank you for the clarification. Thee Roanoke Valley and proximity was still involved both with HS ball and travel prior to the Shamrocks.
V
VT One
2mo
True. Played with the Scrappers out of Roanoke prior to Shamrocks.
MidloHokie MidloHokie
2mo
My daughter's TB team faced AT's Shamrocks once and won 1-0.
That team was loaded with three or four future All-Americans. AT k'd 17 but in the tie-breaker threw 2 rise balls to the backstop allowing our runner to score from 2B. She also hit my daughter breaking a finger on her pitching hand. We saw them at Burger King after the game and she apologized. We had a college showcase the next weekend. Taped the finger and she pitched well. I was surprised they let her pitch with the tape but no one seemed to notice or care. ** Edited by MidloHokie at 5/24/2026, 11:57:05 AM
V
VT One
2mo
While playing at JR in a regional game at Patrick Henry-Glade Spring Angela
struck out 24 batters in a 9 or 10 inning game. That was her top number in high school. I think it was in 2003, their first state title year. Another interesting tidbit about that year is that JR fell behind 1-0 to Northumberland in the state title game (6th or 7th inning) before rallying to win, 2-1. Loren Messick, now Lauren LaPorte of JMU fame, hit a triple off of the right field fence and scored off of a WP/PB. I never knew how it was scored.
J
Jethro Tull
2mo
I don't believe she was ever on full scholarship either
Partial was the best she could get out of VT. We could have won it all if we had just had some hitters that were decent in those days. She probably set a record for most wins with the least run support.
VTChip VTChip OP
2mo
I once researched her losses...
During her senior year, she was 38-10. In 7 of those 10 losses, VT failed to score a single run and in 2 more, the Hokies scored just one. Here are her 10 losses that year: 2/10 #21 Missouri, 2-0 3/1 #8 Arizona 4-3 (12 innings) 3/7 #2 UCLA 1-0 3/8 Notre Dame 2-1 4/19 FSU 2-0 4/27 UNC 2-0 REGIONALS 5/18 #14 Tenn 7-1 SUPER REGIONALS 5/29 #6 Michigan 1-0 WORLD SERIES #4 Texas A&M 1-0 #1 Florida 2-0 (9 innings) - the game was tied 0-0 with VT batting in the bottom of the 7th when Erin Ota lead off the inning and reached 3rd on an error by the Florida center fielder. Florida walked the bases full with no outs, but VT failed to score. And her junior year was almost as bad.... Here are her 7 losses during the 2007 season 2/25 #13 Michigan 1-0 3/10 Ohio State 4-0 3/14 South Carolina 2-1 4/4 Longwood 3-2 4/22 Maryland 5-4 REGIONALS 5/19 #21 Ohio State 2-1 5/19 Cal State-Fullerton 1-0 If we only had some offense.....
MidloHokie MidloHokie
2mo
I think (not sure) that VT hit around to .250 as a team during most of . .
. . . her career. Regardless of the exact number those teams weren't very good.
`lag `lag
2mo
That's vaguely what I remember, I think there was one girl who hit well in
the 300's. but I'd have to research that.
2
2hhoop3
2mo
Your comment about.....
more offensive support is definitely right. I think you will find she had a partial to start out but, that was upgraded to full which was still not adequate relative to her performance.
MidloHokie MidloHokie
2mo
Denny is sort of the Bill Gates of pitching instructors . . .
. . . knows how to market his product.
public knowledge public knowledge
2mo
My daughter took lessons from him and Tincher certified instructors.
He is a very good coach.
R
RJHokie
2mo
Denny Tincher actually served as a volunteer pitching coach for VT
when the pitching coach was late in her pregnancy and had to take a leave of absence.