MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – The Frostburg State softball team rolled through two more wins on the second day of the Fastpitch Dreams Tournament in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Wednesday. The Bobcats are a perfect 4-0 to closeout the second day of the tournament after defeating Guilford 14-10 and Rutgers-Newark 8-0.
FSU (9-3) opened up a 2-0 lead after plating two runs in the bottom of the first inning. Guilford fired back scoring five runs in the top of the second to grab the 5-2 edge over the Bobcats.
Heading into the bottom of the fourth, the Bobcats were down 9-2. Determined to cut into Guilford’s lead, FSU scored at least one run in each inning for the duration of the game, including two four-run innings in the fourth and the seventh.
Senior Taylor Vandegrift started the fourth inning rally with a single. As she advanced to third after a couple of walks, she took advantage of an opportunity and stole home. Freshman Renay Aubel hit a long sacrifice fly to bring home sophomore Bailey Ellsworth and senior Shari Beavers smacked a home run to bring in two.
The Bobcats seized the lead in the sixth inning and ran away with it in the bottom of the seventh from a grand slam by Aubel to notch the final score at 14-10.
Freshman Nicole Bradford earned her first win of the season after four innings of work.
In the second game of the day, freshman Mary Ann Moore grabbed her fourth win of the season and completed the 8-0 shut out against Rutgers-Newark, allowing merely three hits.
Once again, FSU used two big innings to maintain a lead. In the top of the third, sophomore Bailey Ellsworth singled and was brought home by a two-run home run by junior Caitlin Lovend. Moore contributed a double to bring home senior Megan Butzner to notch the score at 3-0.
The sixth inning was a mirror image of the third, as Ellsworth would stroll across the plate from yet another Lovend home run. The Bobcats would bring home three more runs to cap the game at 8-0.
Lovend finished a perfect 4-for-4 as Butzner and Ellsworth both went 3-for-4.
The Bobcats continue tournament action as they face Grinnell Mar. 21 at 9:30 am followed by Rutgers-Newark at 1:30 pm.
