Alan Warren | Ann Arbor News

Virginia Tech pitcher Angela Tincher (center) is swarmed by teammates, including Misty Hall (left) and Charisse Mariconda (right), after the last out to beat Michigan during the second and final game of the Super Regional in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Sunday.

Michigan catcher Roya St. Clair loses the ball at the plate as she tags Virginia Tech's Charisse Mariconda. Mariconda scored on the play.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Before, during and after Sunday's doubleheader, the Michigan alumni band kept playing "Hail to the Victors." The Michigan fans kept singing it.

But "Hail to the visitors" would have been more fitting.

The best college softball pitcher in the nation made sure she would finally reach college softball's biggest stage. Angela Tincher threw a pair of three-hitters to help Virginia Tech beat host Michigan twice Sunday for the program's first berth in the Women's College World Series.

"It's incredible," said Tincher, a senior who improved to 38-8. "That's been something I've wanted to do since I was little and watched it on TV, is to make it in the College World Series.

"I just wanted to leave everything out on the field."

After losing to fourth-seeded Michigan 1-0 on Saturday in the opener of the NCAA Super Regional series, the Hokies bounced back to win 1-0 and 6-1.

By the end of the final game, the Hokies were dancing along to Michigan's fight song.

"That's one song I won't miss, that's for sure," catcher Kelsey Hoffman said. "It's like hearing the FSU chant."

The Hokies (49-17) will now return to Oklahoma City, site of one of their most memorable victories. The World Series will be held the same ballpark where Tech stunned the U.S. national team 1-0 in March. Tech will face fifth-seeded Texas A&M on Thursday on ESPN at 3 p.m.

Of the eight teams in the Series, only two were not among the 16 national seeds in the 64-team NCAA field: Tech and Louisiana-Lafayette.

"This is what I've dreamed about ever since I started playing softball," left fielder Caroline Stolle said.

Making the World Series had been the team's preseason goal. But after the upset of the U.S. team, said Stolle, the Hokies realized it was actually a realistic one.

"We all looked around and we were like, 'We just beat the best team, and we beat it at Oklahoma City. We need to come back here,' " Stolle said.

The goal became more difficult after Saturday's loss, which meant the Hokies would have to beat Michigan (52-8) twice Sunday to advance.

"We all just looked at each other yesterday at dinner and said, 'We want this so bad. There's no way that they're going to take this from us,' " Stolle said.

Tincher threw a three-hit shutout in the first game of the day, striking out 15 and walking two. Three times, she struck out a batter with two outs and a runner on second.

The James River graduate threw another three-hitter in the final game, striking out seven and walking none. The only run she allowed on the day was a solo homer in the fifth inning of the final game, which Tech was already leading 6-0.

"She was outstanding all weekend," Michigan coach Carol Hutchins said. "She seemed to have a different approach for each batter."

After throwing 107 pitches Saturday, Tincher threw 198 more Sunday.

"We were so excited that I think the last thing I wanted to do today was feel tired," she said. "I felt a little rusty yesterday and today I felt a lot better."

In Sunday's first game, Tech scored its lone run in the first inning.

With the bases loaded and one out, Hoffman hit a grounder. Third baseman Maggie Viefhaus threw home for the force out. Catcher Roya St. Clair threw wildly to first in hopes of completing the double play, enabling Charisse Mariconda to score. It was Michigan's second error of the inning.

In the final game, Tech erupted for four runs in the third inning.

Reliever Jordan Taylor, who had shut out Tech on Saturday and who had lost the first game Sunday, walked Mariconda with the bases loaded to give Tech a 1-0 lead.

Misty Hall lined a two-RBI double off Viefhaus' glove and into left field. Shortstop Teddi Ewing fielded a Hoffman grounder and threw home, but Mariconda slid home safely.

Former walk-on Whitney Davis added a solo homer in the fourth. Jessica Everhart, who had a great day in center field, had an RBI single in the fifth.

First game

Michigan 000 000 0 -- 0 3 4

Virginia Tech 100 000 x -- 1 3 0

Taylor, Nemitz (6) and St. Clair; Tincher and Hoffman. W-- Tincher (37-8). L-- Taylor (31-4).

Second game

Virginia Tech 004 110 0 -- 6 7 0

Michigan 000 010 0 -- 1 3 1

Tincher and Hoffman; Nemitz, Taylor (3), Nemitz (3) and St. Clair. W-- Tincher (38-8). L-- Nemitz (21-4). HRs-- VT: Davis (1); UM: Shaw (11).