CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The UNC Pembroke football team got a quick start to Saturday’s game, but Charleston earned a 58-36 victory after outscoring the Braves 27-8 in the second half of Saturday’s game at University of Charleston Stadium.

The setback for the Braves (0-3, 0-1 MEC) marks the third straight loss to Charleston in the seven-game series. The Golden Eagles (3-0, 1-0 MEC) improve to 3-1 all-time when playing UNCP at home.

Sincere Baines ran the opening kickoff back 98 yards to put UNC Pembroke on the board early, 7-0.

UNC Pembroke’s defense held Charleston to just three plays before forcing a punt where the Braves started their drive on their own 49-yard line. Colin Johnson completed a 20-yard pass to Jo Hayes followed by a 23-yard rush by JaQuan Kelly to get UNCP in great field position. Sincere Baines would run the ball in the end zone to put UNCP up 14-0.

Chavon Wright moved Charleston down the field with a 10-yard rush up the middle. Javonte Howard completed a 33-yard pass up the middle to Yves Bosmans to move the Golden Eagles to the UNCP 8-yard line. Howard and Bosmans connected once, this time in the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown pass, making it a 14-7 game.

UNC Pembroke was forced to punt and Charleston started on its own 31-yard line. UC completed their first two passes and then used a Chavon Wright 5-yard rush up the middle for a first down. Javonte Howard connected with Marquan Herron for a gain of 30 yards and Chavon Wright took the ball into the end zone to tie the score at 14-14, which remained the tally at the end of the opening period.

The Black & Gold were driving down the field to end the first quarter as Colin Johnson found an open Antonio Crim for a 30-yard completion. Sincere Baines rushed down the sideline for a gain of 18 yards as Johnson connected with Jo Hayes in the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown and a 21-14 lead.

Javonte Howard completed a 25-yard pass to Marquan Herron and then a 14-yard completion to Yves Bosmans to move the Charleston offense to the UNCP 35-yard line. Howard would eventually find the hands of Chavon Wright for a 33-yard touchdown reception, tying the score at 21-21.

Chavon Wright broke through the UNCP defense and rushed up the middle for a gain of 47 yards. Wright rushed for six more yards to get to the UNCP 5-yard line where the defense held Charleston to just a field goal as the Golden Eagles took a 24-21 lead.

The Braves started their drive on the Charleston 40-yard line where Sincere Baines rushed up the middle for eight yards and then for three more yards. Colin Johnson connected with an open Jo Hayes in the end zone for a 30-yard touchdown pass and UNCP retook the lead 28-24.

Shamarr Wright returned the Jackson Hills kickoff back 43 yards to start the Charleston drive on their own 46-yard line. Javonte Howard completed a 10-yard pass to Luke Krall up the middle and then completed an 11-yard pass to Thomas Ashworth to give the hosts a first down on the UNCP 24-yard line. Howard and Bosmans connected in the end zone for a 24-yard touchdown, and Charleston carried a 31-28 lead to halftime.

Charleston scored 27 unanswered points in the third quarter to take a 58-28 lead by the end of the period. On their first drive, the Golden Eagles ran the ball on three consecutive plays and then Ean Hamric threw an 8-yard completion to Luke Krall. Chavon Wright ran the ball on the next three plays and would eventually rush down the left side for a 32-yard touchdown run to go up 38-28.

Aden Miller intercepted a Colin Johnson pass at the UNC Pembroke 37-yard line where the hosts would take over. Jadus Davis rushed to the left for a gain of 25-yards to get to the UNCP 5-yard line. Ean Hamric ran for a gain of four yards before Chavon Wright took the ball into the end zone for a gain of one yard to take a 45-28 lead.

The Braves were limited to just three plays before being forced to punt where Charleston would take over on their own 29-yard line. The Golden Eagles ran the ball for the first four plays of the drive including a 15-yard gain from Ean Hamric. Hamric then completed a 43-yard pass to Yves Bosmans for a UC touchdown. making it 51-28.

UNCP started its offensive drive on their own 17-yard line, but Colin Johnson’s pass on the first play of the drive was intercepted by Louikenzy Jules. Charleston’s Chavon Wright pushed through the UNCP defense for a gain of six yards before Ean Hamric would throw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Yves Bosmans in the end zone to extend the lead to 58-28.

In the fourth quarter, Colin Johnson completed an 11-yard pass down field to Jo Hayes before Que Kennedy broke free and rushed to the right for a gain of 21-yards. Johnson looked downfield again and completed a 29-yard pass to Keion Wallace and then completed a five-yard completion to Keshawn Jefferson for a UNCP touchdown. The Braves made good on the two-point conversion to pull to a 58-36 gap.

Jo Hayes finished with four receptions for 68-yards and a pair of touchdowns. Sincere Baines rushed 17 times for a total of 41-yards and one touchdown.

Jamae Blank finished with 11 tackles, eight of which were solo tackles. He also had one tackle for a loss of four yards. Carlo Thompson added 10 tackles, seven of which were solo tackles. He also had a pair of tackles for a loss of three yards.

Charleston finished 569 total yards of offense while UNC Pembroke tallied 338 offensive yards.

The Golden Eagles also converted on four out of their five 4th down chances and were a perfect 4-for-4 in the red zone.

Saturday’s score marked the most total points scored in the seven-game series.

The Braves be back in action on Saturday when they travel to I.L. & Sue Morris Stadium to take on Glenville State. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.