FAIRMONT, W. Va. – The Bobcat softball team split their doubleheader on the road Thursday afternoon at Fairmont State, winning game one 5-3 before falling in extra innings in game two 1-0. Frostburg moves to 19-8 (17-5) on the season while Fairmont State is now 19-9 (15-9).
The Bobcats got off to a hot start in game one, plating four runs in the top of the first inning. With the bases loaded and one out, senior Aliyah Ramey singled to right field to score senior Taylor McCarty to make it a 1-0 Bobcat lead. First-year Ryann Darling and sophomore Bri Powell both followed with based-loaded walks to make it a 3-0 game. Junior Kennadie Batchelor then grounded into a fielder's choice to allow Ramey to score the fourth Bobcat run of the inning.
After Fairmont scratched across a run in the bottom of the first inning, both pitchers kept each offense at bay until the fifth inning. After a Ramey double started the inning, Darling popped out and Powell struck out. Batchelor did not let the inning go to waste, as she hit an RBI single to center field, scoring Ramey to make it a 5-1 lead.
Fairmont tried to claw their way back in the sixth. With runners at second and third, Jessie Weaver grounded out to second base, allowing a run to score to make it a 5-2 game. Courtney Moyer followed with an infield single that scored a run to make it 5-3 in favor of Frostburg. Sophomore Shawna Leonard would halt the rally there, as after another walk she induced a fly ball to center field to end the inning. Leonard would retire the side in order in the seventh to preserve the win.
Leonard threw a complete game for the ninth time this season, improving her record to 10-2 on the year. Her team-leading ERA now sits at 1.41 on the season.
Game two was a pitcher's duel between first-year Sydney Theobald and Fairmont State's Kadi Cosgrove, with both hurler's going the distance.
Both pitcher's lines were unblemished as the game went scoreless all the way until the bottom of the eighth inning. Fairmont State's Emily Riggs laced a solo home run to left center field to win the ballgame 1-0.
The Bobcats will turn right back around and host Wheeling on Friday afternoon for a doubleheader beginning at 2:00 p.m. For more information, visit frostburgsports.com.