NEWPORT NEWS, Va. – The Frostburg State softball team paid a visit to top-ranked Christopher Newport for a pair of Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) games on Saturday afternoon. The Bobcats fell 3-0 in game one and 8-0 in five innings in game two.
The Bobcats move to 13-11, 2-2 in CAC play while the Captains improve to 4-0 in league play with an 21-3 overall mark.
Game one
Junior pitcher Katelyn Mehrling limited CNU's potent offense, holding the Captains to three earned runs on seven hits in 6.0 innings. All three of CNU's runs were scored with two outs.
The Bobcats appeared to jump out to an early advantage in the top of the first inning with sophomore Claire Hanlon doubling in senior Olivia Ford, but the umpire ruled that Ford did not touch home plate and CNU collected an out instead. The next batter, sophomore Aliyah Ramey grounded out and Hanlon was thrown attempting to advance to third to end the inning.
CNU tallied a run the bottom of the first with a two-out solo home run to take a 1-0 advantage.
FSU threatened again the top of the second inning, putting runners on the corners with one out. However a strikeout and fielder's choice left the runners stranded. The Captains extended their lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the second with a two-out RBI single.
Neither team scored in the third or fourth innings as the Bobcats put a pair of baserunners on due to CNU errors, and the Captains went down in order in the third and notched one hit in the fourth.
Christopher Newport added another run with two outs in the bottom of the fifth to make the score 3-0.
Hanlon smacked her second double of the afternoon in the bottom of the sixth, but was stranded on second base.
Christopher Newport pitcher Trish Webb picked up her fourth win, tossing a complete game, allowing five hits with three strikeouts and one walk.
Game two
The Bobcats threatened early in game two with a double by Ramey and a pair of walks in the top of the first inning to load the bases, but the Captains were able to work out of the inning without surrendering a run.
For the second-straight game CNU hit a solo home run in the bottom of the first to take an early lead. The Captains added a two-out, two-run single to lead 3-0 after the first inning.
In the bottom of the third, a two-out infield single brought home the Captains' fourth run of the contest, and CNU broke the game open with a four-run fourth inning to lead 8-0.
Ramey and sophomore Sam Carver notched the only two hits of the game for the Bobcats. Sophomore Emily Moll tossed 4.0 innings for the Bobcats.
Grace Wild led the way for the CNU bats in game two with a pair of home runs, and Aubrey Bates collected the win in the circle for the Captains.
The Bobcats travel to Hood on Tuesday for a non-conference doubleheader, first pitch of game one is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
