A three-run, eighth-inning home run by Kelly Browning, her second of the game, allowed the University of Charleston softball team to strike the first blow against West Virginia Wesleyan in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Super Regional. Charleston's 6-3 win over the Bobcats gave the Golden Eagles a Game 1 win, with Game 2 to be played at noon Thursday.
If UC (49-9) wins that game, the Golden Eagles earn a berth in the Division II World Series, to be played May 17-21 in Denver. If Wesleyan (53-10) wins, the two teams face off again Thursday.
The teams went into the eighth inning tied at 3, despite chances for both to win late in regulation. In the top of the eighth, Rachelle Toppings reached first on a left-field error. Katelyn Hamilton sacrificed to move Toppings to second, then Wesleyan walked Laura Ashlock for the second straight at-bat to put runners at first and second.
Browning, who led off the third inning with a solo home run, smashed another off Bobcats starter Hannah Vet to bring home Toppings and Ashlock. Wesleyan could muster just a fly out and two pop outs in the bottom of the eighth to give Charleston the win.
After UC opened the scoring in the first on a Bethany Williams RBI single, Wesleyan scored three in the bottom of that inning. With the bases loaded - with some help by an error at third base - and two outs, starter Jesse Rowe walked in an unearned run and Jessica Rodriguez drove in two more on a single to right for a 3-1 Bobcats lead.
Mountain East Conference pitcher of the year Alli Burdette relieved Rowe after that two-RBI single and held Wesleyan scoreless the rest of the way, giving up just two hits in the process. UC knotted the score at 3 after Hamilton's fielder's choice in the second brought a run home, then Browning homered in the third.
Charleston stranded three baserunners in the top of the sixth and two more in the top of the seventh, while WVWC stranded two in the bottom of the sixth.
Those home runs were Browning's eighth and ninth of the season. UC and Wesleyan faced each other for the eighth time Wednesday. It was Charleston's sixth win of the season over the Bobcats.