CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Six scoreless innings with two starting pitchers having their way turned quickly in the top of the seventh as sixth-seeded Kutztown softball turned back-to-back hits to leadoff the frame into runs and followed the right arm of Haley Gravish (Hamburg, Pa./Hamburg) to a 2-0 win over host, 19th-ranked third-seeded Charleston on Thursday afternoon in the NCAA Atlantic Region opener for both teams.
 
The Golden Bears (30-24 overall) picked up their 30th win this season and will now play tomorrow, Friday, May 12, against the winner of second-seeded Shippensburg and seventh-seeded Davis & Elkins at noon.
 
Hannah Reimel (Warminster, Pa./William Tennent) and Brianna Hughes (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland) connected on two straight hits to put runners at second and third with nobody out. And then Sarah Harvat (Bangor, Pa./Bangor) and Gravish recorded RBIs in the following two at-bats. That would be all KU needed behind Gravish's efforts.
 
Charleston (40-10) starting pitcher, Brianna McCown, showed why she was the staff's ace. She entered with a 1.77 ERA and 215 strikeouts. McCown gave up six hits and two runs, both coming in the seventh. Even more effective was Gravish. KU's starter inside the circle entered the game with a 2.11 ERA and threw a complete-game, shutout, allowing just two hits and striking out two batters for her 19th victory of the season.
 
Naya Darnowski (Manchester, N.J./Manchester Township), Kristin Geesey (Bainbridge, Pa./Elizabethtown) and Harvat joined Reimel, Hughes and Gravish all with a hit as Kutztown finished with a 6-2 advantage in hits on the day.
 
The Golden Bears could not get anything going offensively against McCown for the first three innings, outside of walks to Kate Ostaszewski (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) and Hughes. Brianna Stocklin (Deptford, N.J./Deptford Township) got into a drive to left center field in the top of the third, but it was snagged as the left fielder was running up to the fence. The first hit of the game for either team came on a two-out single to left by Geesey in the top of the fourth inning. But the sophomore was stranded at first base.
 
The Golden Eagles offense also had trouble finding success against Gravish as they were held hitless over the course of the first five-and-a-third innings. Their first hit came on a one-out single to left field in the bottom of the sixth by Lindsey Reavis. The sophomore reached second base on a sacrifice bunt the ensuing at-bat and then made it to third on a two-out single by the NCAA's batting average leader, Hannah Rose, to put runners at first and third. Gravish induced a flyout to end the threat.
 
The Maroon and Gold had their first runner in scoring position after Harvat singled with one out in the fifth inning and then stole second two batters later. She would not get past that point, however.
 
Kutztown finally broke through in the top of the seventh inning. Reimel led off with a single and then moved to third on a ground-rule double by Hughes that took a hop over the fence. Harvat came through with an RBI sacrifice fly to center that brought Reimel around for the first run of the game. Gravish then helped out her own cause with an RBI single to second base, giving her team a 2-0 lead.
 
Gravish finished off the game with a quick, 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh for the victory.
 
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