CHARLESTON, W.Va.—After jumping from nineteenth place to seventeenth place in the NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll, University of Charleston Softball improves to 12-1 following their 10-4 victory over Millersville University (5-6) this past Wednesday. With rain drizzling nonstop on the chilly afternoon, the second game of the doubleheader was canceled. 
 
The Golden Eagles put on an offensive show with the first four batters picking up at least one hit and one RBI in the victory. Junior Isabella Andujar, Senior Lindsey Phares and Graduate Student Allysa Lake were all credited with RBIs, as they each blasted home runs. Andujar led UC with two hits in three at bats with a homer, a double, three RBIs, two runs scored and a walk, while Phares went 3-for-4 with a home run, a double, three RBIs and a run scored. 
 
Versus Millersville, Charleston's Brianna McCown (8-1) achieved her eighth win of the season, which leads the Mountain East Conference. The senior punched out nine Marauders with six hits, four runs and four walks allowed in seven innings pitched. McCown also currently leads the MEC in innings pitched and strikeouts with 56 in 45 innings of work. 
 
The Basics:
Location: Charleston, WV
Score: 10-4 (W, UCWV)
 
How it Happened:
McCown sent the Marauders down in order on a strikeout and a pair of groundouts to start the game. After punching out the leadoff batter and inducing a flyout, it seemed like Millersville also had plans for a quick inning. First-pitch swinging and a long ball off the bat of Lake quickly thwarted that idea though. Millersville managed to prevent UC from scoring more on a strikeout swinging to end the first.
 
The second inning was uneventful, however, things started to get shaky for the Golden Eagles in the top of the third. With two outs and a runner on first via a walk, the Marauders singled to put a runner in scoring position. McCown went on to load the bases with a walk and hit the next batter to put a run on the board for Millersville. From there, they carved out two more RBIs on a double to make the score 3-1 in favor of MU. Charleston bounced back in their half of the inning however with phares reaching on a single and advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by Brittny Ogg. A walk by Rose put two runners on with one out with the dangerous MEC home run leader Andujar stepping up to the plate. Millersville managed to get two strikes on the powerhouse, but a mistake over the heart of the plate cost them, as Andujar hammered a three-run shot to give UC the lead again. 
 
With two outs, Allison Rubal poked a ball down the middle to reach first safely in the fourth. Phares then joined teammates Lake and Andujar in the home run derby on a blast of her own to put UC in front by three runs. Ogg then doubled, advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a single by Rose, making the score 7-3, Charleston. 
 
McCown allowed a homer and a walk to lead off the fifth, but she clutched up and struck out the side to close out the Marauder's half of the fifth inning. With two outs, Phares smacked a double to score Bianca Polistina who drew a one-out walk and moved into scoring position after Raegan West fell victim to a hit-by-pitch.
 
The Nitro, West Virginia native had another 1-2-3 inning in the top of the six. On the other hand, Charleston kept pouring it on. They added two more runs off the bats of Lake and Meyer to close out the scoring for the game. The first run of the inning was pushed across on a groundout to second base, while the second run was scored on a single by Meyer. 
 
Rose went 2-for-3 on the day with an RBI, two runs scored and a walk. The two-time All-American and two-time MEC Player of the Year currently leads the Golden Eagles in batting average (.436), runs scored (39) and hits (17). 
 
Up Next:
Charleston will have a short break before they take on their first conference matchup of the season. The Golden Eagles will travel to Athens, West Virginia to battle it out in a doubleheader against Concord University (9-5) on Saturday, March 16. First pitch is set for 1pm. The Mountain Lions are in second place in the MEC South Division behind UC.