KUTZTOWN, Pa. — The University of Charleston softball team opened NCAA Atlantic Regional with a hard-fought, extra-inning defeat at host Kutztown. The second-seeded Golden Bears won the tournament opener, 4-3, on a walk-off in the ninth at North Campus Field.
 
The seventh-seeded Golden Eagles (36-16) scored a run in the first, fourth, and fifth innings and held a 3-2 lead in the middle of the fifth, but then Kutztown’s Emily Henn’s sacrifice fly tied the game, 3-3, in the bottom of the fifth. The teams were scoreless in the sixth, seventh, and eight innings before Kutztown (40-16) found the winner in the bottom of the ninth.
 
UC’s Addison Mass — the 2025 MEC Pitcher of the Year — went the distance, covering 8 2/3 innings and 142 pitches. She allowed three runs and nine hits while striking out nine.
 
In the other Atlantic Regional matchup, No. 6 Bloomsburg defeated No. 3 Shepherd, 1-0. Charleston will meet Shepherd on Friday at 12:30 p.m.
 
NCAA Atlantic Regional
Participating Teams
#2 – Kutztown
#3 – Shepherd
#6 – Bloomsburg
#7 – Charleston
 
Thursday
Game 1: Kutztown 4, Charleston 3 (9 innings)
Game 2: Bloomsburg, 1, Shepherd (9 innings)
 
Friday
Game 3: 10 a.m. – Kutztown vs. Shepherd/Bloomsburg winner
Game 4: 12:30 p.m. – Charleston vs. Shepherd/Bloomsburg loser
Game 5: 3 p.m. – Game 3 Loser vs. Game 4 Winner (elimination game)