Photos by DAVE KNACHEL

Virginia Tech Virginia Tech softball pitcher Angela Tincher delivers to home during the Hokies' 1-0 victory over Louisville in Friday's NCAA softball tournament opener in Knoxville, Tenn.

Misty Hall (18) hits the game-winning home run in the 10th-inning off of Louisville pitcher Kristen Wadwell.

DAVE KNACHEL

Virginia Tech Misty Hall (18) gets mobbed by her Virginia Tech softball teammates following her 10th-inning walk-off home run against Louisville on Friday.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Virginia Tech's quest to finally win an NCAA softball regional got off to a dramatic start Friday.

Misty Hall smacked a walk-off homer in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the Hokies a 1-0 victory over Louisville in the opening game of an NCAA tournament regional at the University of Tennessee.

The jubilant Hokies greeted Hall at home plate and smacked her on top of her batting helmet.

"I couldn't stop smiling," Hall said.

Angela Tincher struck out 19 batters, the 14th time in her Tech career that she has struck out at least that many. The James River graduate pitched a one-hitter, walking three.

"There was a lot riding on this game, so I was trying not to think about being tired," Tincher said. "There's a lot on the line right now at this point in the season, so I think mentally I'm pretty focused -- I try to be all the time, but at this point in my career and everything, I think it's a lot more important."

It was the senior's fourth shutout in her last five starts, including no-hitters over East Carolina and Florida State.

The second-seeded Hokies (45-15) will face top-seeded Tennessee (48-14), a 3-0 winner over Winthrop in Friday's second game, in the winners' bracket final at noon today on ESPN2.

The Lady Vols aren't fretting over having to face Tincher.

"We've faced the best pitching [in the SEC]," Tennessee catcher Shannon Doepking said. "Any time you have preparation like that where you have faced great pitchers, I think that will prepare you for something like playing against Tincher."

It will be the first time Tech has ever played on live national TV; the Hokies' March win over the U.S. national team didn't air on ESPN2 until last week.

"It's exciting," Tech coach Scot Thomas said. "The girls have done a great job of representing us ... so far on television, so it's a big-time opportunity."

Tennessee squashed Tincher and the Hokies 9-1 in the winners' bracket final in the 2006 Knoxville regional. Ohio State beat Tech in the winners' bracket final of the Columbus regional last year.

If Tech beats the Lady Vols, it will advance to Sunday's title game. If Tech loses, it will play in the losers' bracket final at 5 p.m. today. Tech has been eliminated in the losers' bracket final the past three years.

Friday's duel with Louisville was similar to the teams' meeting in the opening game of the 2006 regional. Tech beat Louisville 1-0 in 12 innings in that game, with Tincher striking out 19.

Tincher had said this week that having to go extra innings in that 2006 win hurt the Hokies in their loss to Tennessee the next day because they were worn out.

Is that a bad omen for today?

Tincher (34-6), who threw 157 pitches Friday, said she and her teammates won't be too tired.

"We have a lot to prove, so I think there's going to be a lot of adrenaline," she said.

Australian import Kristen Wadwell pitched a seven-hitter for third-seeded Louisville (30-22). Her first pitch of the 10th -- low and outside -- went over the right-field fence. It was Hall's sixth homer of the year.

Hall, a sophomore shortstop who bats cleanup, graduated from Turner Ashby High School in Bridgewater, Va. She reaped a full scholarship from Tech after spending last year at Louisburg (Junior) College. Hall said she had to improve her grades to make up for a poor SAT score.

The 5-foot-11 Hall had three hits Friday.

"She's probably the best female athlete at Virginia Tech as far as just pure raw ability," Thomas said.

Tech again found clutch hits hard to come by, stranding 12 runners.

The lone hit Tincher allowed was Melissa Roth's infield single in the sixth.

"She did a great job of moving the ball around well and keeping us guessing," Roth said.

The second game was scoreless until Doepking belted a two-run homer off Liberty High School graduate Cari Wooldridge in the bottom of the sixth.

Winthrop will face Louisville in an elimination game at 2:30 p.m. today.

Louisville 000 000 000 0 -- 0 1 1

Virginia Tech 000 000 000 1 -- 1 7 0

None out when winning run scored

Wadwell and Roth; Tincher and Hoffman. W-- Tincher (34-6). L-- Wadwell (18-14). HR-- VT: Hall (6).