FROSTBURG, Md. – Frostburg State suffered a tough loss in game one against Mary Washington, but the Bobcats salvaged a split with the Eagles with a slim victory in the nightcap as the two teams capped CAC regular-season play, Monday.
 
The split handed the Bobcats (17-10, 7-6) the third seed in the upcoming CAC Tournament that starts on Thursday. FSU will square off against nationally-ranked Salisbury at noon. Mary Washington (20-12, 8-6) earned the fourth seed and will face York (Pa.) at 10:00 am.
 
In game one, the Eagles rallied past Frostburg with three runs in the top of the seventh inning. Malia Rogers doubled home the first run and Stefannie Asselanis singled home two more as UMW surged to a 6-5 lead. The Bobcats had two opportunities to end the inning before Asselanis' single, however, the Frostburg infield missed on two foul balls next to first base.
 
Four different Bobcats drove in a run as FSU built its lead to 5-3 following the fifth inning. Freshman Sam Gatton gave the hosts a 1-0 cushion after three with an RBI single that scored junior Allison Williams. Sophomore Emily Zengel singled home junior Renay Aubel in the fourth as Frostburg grabbed a 2-1 advantage.
 
Mary Washington plated two in the top of the fifth to quickly grab a 3-2 lead, but three runs in the bottom of the frame gave Frostburg a 5-3 edge. Tavik scored sophomore Selina Matulonis with a ground out, Aubel singled home Gatton and freshman Hannah Stringer scored on a fielding error by the Eagle infield.
 
However, UMW's three-run seventh carried them to the victory.
 
Gatton finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while Matulonis was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Tavik was handed the loss after striking out seven and allowing just five earned runs.
 
Frostburg scored all four runs it would need in the third inning to narrowly take game two, 4-3. The Eagles scored one in the first for the early lead, but Gatton got things rolling in the third with a single to short. Gatton stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a double to left by Tavik.
 
Junior Lauren Capece singled home Matulonis, Zengel singled up the middle and plated junior Taylor Blevins and sophomore Allison Williams capped the outburst when she reached on a fielder's choice that scored Capece.
 
With two outs in the fourth, Mary Washington inched closer with a sacrifice fly that narrowed the gap to 4-2. After a scoreless fifth, UMW scored its final run in the sixth on an error, but freshman pitcher Allison Short recorded three outs and retired the side in the seventh to keep Frostburg ahead. Short helped strand 11 Mary Washington runners while she struckout four batters in 7.0 innings for the win.
 
Tavik finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, Gatton was 2-for-4 with a run scored, while Capece was 1-for-3 with an RBI and run scored.
 
A full preview of Frostburg's CAC Tournament schedule will be available tomorrow.