Kutztown, Pa. – The Golden Eagles fell to the Kutztown Golden Bears in a nine-inning thriller in the first game of the Atlantic Regional.
 
The Basics:
Location: North Campus Softball Field
Score: UC 3, KU 4 (9 innings)
Records: UC 36-16 Kutztown 40-16
 
How it Happened:
The first game of the Atlantic Regional was an 10:00am matchup between the #7 seed Charleston and the host team, the #2 seed Kutztown Golden Bears. It was the Golden Eagles who scored first, plating one run in the top of the first on a Lindsey Phares bloop single to center field to score Alli Rubal who singled to lead off the inning. Mass then faced four batters in the bottom half of the inning, sitting down the 2-3-4 hitters after the leadoff batter started the inning with a single.
 
The second inning was three up, three down for both teams and third inning was quick as well, Kyra Gooler the only hit in the inning for either team. To start out the fourth, Taylor Hodson led off the inning with a walk for Charleston and then was sacrificed over to second on a bunt by Kayla Moran. With two outs, Brittny Ogg singled to left and the speedy pinch runner at second in Lindsey Reavis scored to give the Golden Eagles the 2-0 advantage.
 
The Golden Bears then led off the bottom of the fourth with a walk followed by a single to put runners on first and second. The next batter popped up to third base but a walk to follow loaded the bases for Kutztown with one out. The next hitter for the Golden Bears singled to right field, plating two runs and leaving runners on the corners. With a threat still eminent, Charleston got a crucial out on a first and third play, picking of the runner at third as the other runner stole second. Now with two outs, Addison Mass induced another pop up to third base, ending the inning with the score tied at 2-2.
 
Charleston got a run right back in the top of the fifth, Taylor Hodson sneaking a ball up the middle with two outs and two runners on, allowing Gooler to score from second and Charleston to regain the lead. The lead did not hold long though, as Kutztown answered right back, plating their third run on bases loaded sacrifice fly to left field.
 
Neither team could push a run across in the sixth and Charleston was sat down in order in the seventh, giving the Golden Bears the final chance to score before heading to extra innings. Kutztown was down to their final out, and their two-hole hitter looked like she was going to be the star as she scorched a ball to right field, heading for the broadcast tent, but at the final second, Charleston's Kyra Gooler stuck her glove up and pulled the ball back in, robbing the walk-off homerun and sending the game into the eighth inning.
 
The eighth was a short inning, both teams grabbing three outs in order and the game was quickly headed to the ninth. Charleston had a runner in scoring position but could not push a run across, heading to the bottom of the ninth still tied at 3-3. Addison Mass sat the First Golden Bear down in strikeout fashion. The next batter to the plate grounded to the shortstop, but Zucchero could not come up with it, allowing the runner to reach first base. The next hitter singled to left field, runners on first and second with one out. Mass then induced a flyout to right field on the very next pitch to gain the second out of the inning. It was the leadoff hitter for Kutztown that was the hero as she took the first pitch she saw and snuck it through the right side, allowing the runner to score from second and walk off the victory for the Golden Bears in a 4-3 extra innings win.
 
Up Next:
Charleston will face Shepherd University in the loser's bracket set for Friday, May 9^th at 5:00PM, weather permitting.