DENVER – The University of Charleston Golden Eagle softball team didn't get the start they wanted in their first ever appearance in the NCAA DII Women's College World Series falling 10-4 to Adelphi at the Regency Athletic Complex Tuesday evening.
 
The game lasted over three hours which saw Charleston battle back from a three-run deficit to take a 4-3 lead only to watch the Panthers run away with it in the late innings.  UC had plenty of opportunities to take command of the game but unfortunately couldn't come up with the big hit at the right moment, leaving 13 runners stranded over the course of the seven innings.
 
Adelphi struck early as Megan Lewis belted a 3-run homerun in the top of the first to quickly take a 3-0 lead.  Charleston didn't flinch though, answering back with two runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning.  Rachelle Toppings scored on a bases loaded wild pitch by Lindsay Mapes then Alyssa Stanley drove in Laura Ashlock with a single through the right side to trim the deficit to 3-2 after one inning.
 
After a couple of scoreless frames Charleston came to the plate in the bottom of the fourth still trailing by one until Alayna Carlson smashed a Mapes offering that easily cleared the center field fence to even the game at 3-3.  UC would manufacture another run later in the inning when Bethany Williams was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded scoring Jenna Evans from third that gave Charleston its first lead, 4-3
 
The Golden Eagle lead didn't last long as Adelphi responded for a pair of runs in the fifth then followed with a five spot in the sixth, highlighted by their second three-run homerun of the evening, this one by Nicole Camera.  The six-run disadvantage was insurmountable as the Panthers kept UC off of the scoreboard over the final three innings to earn the 10-4 win over Charleston.
 
The loss puts Charleston into Wednesday's elimination game with Southern Arkansas after the Muleriders took a 9-0 loss to North Alabama earlier in the evening.  First pitch is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at the Regency Athletic Complex.