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CHARLESTON, W. Va. – One thing is for sure; the Kutztown University softball team finished the year as one of the best teams in the nation.
 
Heartbreak struck the Golden Bears (33-17) in the Atlantic Regional 2 Finals, as KU ran out of magic against the University of Charleston, falling 7-3 Saturday afternoon at the UC Softball Field.

In advancing to the finals, the Golden Bears made it to the final 32 teams in Division II.
 
KU found itself down 7-1 heading into the top of the sixth inning, and once again looked to go on a late-inning rally.
 
The Golden Bears broke through with an RBI-single by Gabby Tareila (Limerick, Pa./Spring-Ford), followed by a groundout-RBI by Jacqueline Walsh (Downingtown, Pa./Coatesville) to cut the UC lead to 7-3. 
 
Rachel Lawes (Reading, Pa./Governor Mifflin) singled to start off the seventh, but the next three batters grounded out to end the KU threat and the game. 

Gabby Tareila (Limerick, Pa./Spring-Ford) continued her red-hot hitting in the tournament, going 2-for-2 with two RBIs and a solo home run in the top of the first.    Lawes finished 2-for-3.  Tamara Jennings (Philadelphia, Pa./Nazareth Academy) led the KU offense all tournament, going 6-for-14 (.429) with three runs scored.  Tareila led all Golden Bear hitters with three RBIs.  
 
Lawes, Danielle Sienko (Philadelphia, Pa./William Penn Charter) and Krista Schauder (Gilbertsville, Pa./Boyertown Area) all played in their final game in a Golden Bear uniform, giving up their opportunity to walk in KU's graduation on Saturday for a chance at one more championship. 
 
The three seniors were the last remaining players from the 2013 NCAA Division II runner-up team. 

Lawes played in 201 career games and hit a career-high .298 this year with 20 RBIs and 19 runs scored

Sienko, a 2016 All-PSAC East first team member hit a career-high .343 with 29 RBIs and  21 runs scored.

Schauder was lost early in the season to injury, and wraps up a Golden Bear career that saw her hit two home runs, 21 RBIs and 11 runs scored. 

The three seniors were part of a class that recorded 120 wins over their careers.

Pitchers Bridget Newman (Ardmore, Pa./Haverford) (6-3) and Savannah Nierintz (Clifton Heights, Pa./Upper Darby) (19-12) finish the year with 1.99 ERAs while freshman Jackie Morell (Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem) picked up a victory in her first career postseason start against West Chester to advance KU to the finals. 

While the end result wasn't what it was looking for, the future looks bright for a Kutztown team that returns seven starters and its entire pitching staff for next season. 
 
Go Bears Go indeed.