NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – For the second time in a week, the Frostburg State softball team upended nationally-ranked Salisbury. This time, however, the Bobcats blanked the seventh-ranked Sea Gulls 4-0 in the CAC Tournament, Thursday afternoon.
 
And for the second time in a week, it was Frostburg's freshman pitcher Allison Short who proved too much for the Sea Gulls (23-5). The Bobcats (18-10) needed just seven hits to produce their four runs all while holding Salisbury to just two hits. The Sea Gulls entered the game as the CAC's leader in five offensive categories, including batting average (.383) and home runs per game.
 
But their bats were silenced by the right arm of Short, who tossed all 7.0 innings with two strikeouts. She allowed single hits in the third and fifth innings and allowed a runner to advance past second base just once. Short also retired the side in the first, fourth and sixth innings.
 
FSU broke through for two runs in the third inning for a 2-0 cushion. Sophomore Hannah Tavik singled through the left side followed by back-to-back walks for juniors Renay Aubel and Lauren Capece. SU starter Rachel Johnson uncorked a wild pitch that scored Tavik, while sophomore Emily Zengel singled home Aubel.
 
Tavik again started things off in the fourth with a double to left field before crossing the plate on an Aubel single up the middle. The Bobcats added an insurance run in the seventh inning. Aubel led off the frame with another single up the middle before Zengel reached on a fielder's choice that allowed pinch runner Selina Matulonis to score.
 
However, the game belonged to Short as she picked up her fourth shutout of the season, while lowering her ERA to 1.92. It was the second time she has allowed two hits in a contest.
 
The Bobcats return to action tomorrow morning at 10:00 am when they face 16th-ranked Christopher Newport.