KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Sophomore Brianna Hughes (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland) hit a go-ahead two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning and senior Amber Brugger (Levittown, Pa./Neshaminy) threw a five-hit shutout as the top-seeded and 20th-ranked Kutztown University softball team defeated fifth-seeded West Virginia Wesleyan, 2-0, Saturday morning at North Campus Field to advance out of its NCAA Division II Atlantic Region pod.
 
The Golden Bears (40-13 overall) advance to the Atlantic Super Regionals next week, beginning Thursday, May 19. They will host second-seeded Seton Hill, which advanced out of the Atlantic Region pod at Shippensburg, at a time to be determined in a best-of-three series.
 
It was Hughes' lone hit on the day, but it was a big one to say the least. It followed a leadoff double by Kate Ostaszewski (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan), who then moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Jenna Lipowski (Nanticoke, Pa./Greater Nanticoke Area).
 
"I've been struggling at the plate lately and I really wanted to step up for my team," said Hughes. "This was a perfect opportunity to step up and I was happy to do it. She (WVW pitcher) was throwing well all game, but we had some good at-bats leading up to that inning. It was only a matter of time until we broke through."
 
Kutztown had its opportunities early to get to Bobcats (38-18-1) starter Alex O'Shields. KU had a leadoff double out of Brianna Stocklin (Deptford, N.J./Deptford Township) in the first batter of the game, but she was stranded at second. In the second, the Maroon and Gold loaded the bases after a double by Alyssa Donato (Cedarville, N.J./Cumberland Regional), a walk to Kristin Geesey (Bainbridge, Pa./Elizabethtown) and a single from Brugger, all with one out. But they could not find the go-ahead hit.
 
West Virginia Wesleyan threatened in the bottom of the first, putting runners on first and third with two outs, but Brugger induced a groundout to end the frame. Brugger settled in, retiring the next seven Bobcats and 14 of the next 16 batters. Wesleyan had the go-ahead batter come to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, but Brugger once again got a groundout to end the inning.
 
Donato finished 3-for-3, including two doubles to pace the KU lineup. Ostaszewski scored a run to go along with her hit. Stocklin, Brugger and Hughes rounded out the hits for Kutztown, which finished with seven.
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