FROSTBURG, Md. – Frostburg State softball won both ends of its doubleheader at home on Saturday afternoon. They took game one in comeback fashion, scoring six runs in the sixth inning to win 6-4. In game two, sophomore Shawna Leonard set a new career-high with 14 strikeouts in a 1-0 victory.
The 14 strikeouts for Leonard were the most for a Frostburg State starter since Jen Cook struck out 16 batters in nine innings against Medaille on March 26, 2006. It was also the most strikeouts in a seven inning game since Cook struck out 15 against Penn State Altoona on April 18, 2006.
Game one of the day started slowly for the Bobcats, as they failed to put a runner on base until the fourth inning. D&E got the scoring started in the third inning as Kailynn Parks doubled against first-year pitcher Sydney Theobald to make it 2-0 Senators. Lilly Saucedo followed with another double, scoring Parks from second to give D&E a 3-0 lead.
The Senators would add to the lead in the top of the fifth, as Kristen Malloy homered just over the wall in left field to make it a 4-0 game. After Theobald walked Parks, senior Emily Talbert came on in relief with a runner on first and no outs. After walking Saucedo to put two runners on, Talbert got a strikeout, a flyout, and a foul out to escape the inning.
After five no-hit innings from Davis & Elkins starter Jenna Evans, the Bobcat bats suddenly awoke in the bottom of the sixth. Theobald got the rally started with a bunt single past Evans, which was the first hit of the day for the Bobcats. Later in the inning, Theobald would score on a double from first-year Katie Ernst to put the Bobcats on the board. After a single from sophomore Brianna Powell advanced Ernst to third, senior Sam Carver drove them both in on a single to left to make it a 4-3 game.
D&E would change pitchers, bringing in Ava Willis to face senior Taylor McCarty with one out and the tying run at second base. McCarty lined the first pitch from Willis into the gap in right-center field, scoring Carver from second to tie the game. After a pop-out from junior Ava Gnibus, junior Kennadie Batchelor put the Bobcats ahead on a grounder to third that got away from the third baseman Molloy. Senior Aliyah Ramey would add an insurance run with an RBI single to center field, scoring Batchelor to give the Bobcats a 6-4 lead. Talbert would close it out with a scoreless seventh to give FSU the win.
Game two was hard-pressed for offense, but not light on run-scoring opportunities for both teams. Leonard walked two batters in the first inning before getting back-to-back strikeouts to end the threat. The Bobcats themselves would have two runners on in the bottom of the first, but McCarty hit into a fielder's choice and Batchelor fouled out to end the inning.
Davis & Elkins nearly got on the board in the top of the fourth with some two-out magic. After Leonard set down the first two hitters of the inning on two pitches, she allowed a single to Haley Grindstaff and then hit Alyssa Bailey with a pitch. Leonard would get out of it with a strikeout of Evans to keep it a 0-0 game.
Frostburg would bring across the only run of the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. After back-to-back walks drawn by Ramey and Theobald, first-year Sierra Sanderson poked a single into right field to give the Bobcats a 1-0 lead.
One run was all Leonard would need, as she cruised through the final three innings of the game without any issues. Leonard retired nine of the final 10 hitters on the day, including striking out the side in the seventh inning to get to 14 strikeouts for the game.
Leonard allowed just two hits all game, and the 14 strikeouts set a new career-high. This was also the second consecutive complete-game shutout for Leonard, as she went seven scoreless last weekend in a win over Salem.
The Bobcats hit the field next on Wednesday afternoon as they host Shepherd for a doubleheader beginning at 2 pm. For more information, visit frostburgsports.com.
