WILSON, N.C. – The Frostburg States softball team finished off their weekend series down South, losing to Barton by a score of 6-3 and defeating Virginia Union 13-3 in five innings.
In the early game, it was Barton who got on the scoreboard first on a single up the middle to make the score 1-0 at the end of the first. The Bulldog pitching kept FSU's offense quiet, allowing just one hit in the first three innings and no runs on the board.
Barton would extend their lead in the bottom of the third inning, knocking in three more runs on a trio of singles and a double to go up 4-0. Frostburg would get the bats going in the top of the fourth, thanks to senior Brianna Powell and a single up the middle to center field, followed by a walk to sophomore Jamie Roberts. Freshman Ashlynn Routzahn got the Bobcats on the board, doubling in the gap to right-center to drive in Powell and Roberts to bring things to 4-2. The Bulldogs got key outs with Routzahn making her way to third on a pair of popouts and a sharp liner caught at short to maintain their lead.
That Barton advantage doubled in the bottom of the fourth as the team came a home run shy of an inning cycle, with a triple, double, and single plating another pair of runs for a 6-4 lead.
Frostburg looked to keep the bats going in the fifth with an infield single from sophomore Laura Gilford, then junior Sierra Sanderson would reach bunting on a Barton error, advancing Gilford to second. Both Gilford and Sanderson stole third and second, resulting in two runners in scoring position for the Bobcats. Powell would earn an RBI on a sac fly to center, driving in Gilford from third, but a fly out to right ended the threat with Barton maintaining a three-run lead.
Each team went quiet in the next inning and a half, playing to the hands of the Bulldogs to pick up the win and the series split with FSU.
In game two, the Bobcats got on the board early in the first inning, as freshman Gracie Nelson opened the game drawing a walk, then advancing all the way to third on back-to-back wild pitches. Junior Ellie Buckheit would also draw a walk and go on to steal second, before both runners would advance on another wild pitch, bringing Nelson across the plate for the first run of the game. Sophomore Allyssa Albright went on to draw the inning's third walk, then Buckheit scored on an RBI groundout by freshman Olivia Stetler. Albright was driven across the plate on a single to right field from junior Sydney Theobald, with the rallying continuing off the bats of sophomore Hanna Binek and Routzahn, who hit back-to-back doubles for the Bobcats, driving in both Theobald and Binek for two more runs. Frostburg rounded out the first inning with a single to left field by sophomore Samara Funk, scoring Routzahn for a 6-0 lead.
Routzahn took to the circle for FSU and handled business throught the first two innings, allowing just two hits and striking out a pair of Panthers. VUU looked to cut away at the Bobcat lead in the bottom of the third, finally getting to Routzahn with an RBI double, then capitalizing on a Bobcat error that another run across, making the score 6-2.
Buckheit once again drew a walk to start the fourth and used her speed to good effect, getting to second on a wild pitching and moving to third on a sacrifice from junior Brianna Munday. Albright would bring Buckheit across the plate for the Bobcats' seventh run on am RBI ground out to the Panthers' shortstop. Routzahn kept Virginia Union's bats in check for the next half inning, putting the side down in order to bring the bats back for FSU.
Theobald opened the fifth with a walk, then Binek struck out swining but made a heads-up play, getting to first on the pitch in the dirt. With two runners on, Routzahn went yard, driving a three-run homer over the right field fence, giving the Bobcats a 10-2 lead. Funk went for another single, this time up the middle of the defense as Frostburg went on to load the bases with Nelson and Munday earning walks of their own. Albright flew out to center field, driving Funk across home plate, then Stetler earned herself another pair of RBIs on a double to right field, totaling the Bobcat runs at 13.
Freshman Ally Myers closed out the final inning for FSU, with VUU getting a two-out RBI double as a consolation run, as Myers recovered to strike out the final batter and complete the 13-3 victory.
With the split, Frostburg moves to 3-1 on the season to complete their first weekend in action. The Bobcats will be back on the road next weekend as they head down to Chowan, N.C. for matchups with New Haven, Bowie State, and Chowan, with the first game slated for Saturday, February 25 at 11AM. For more information on Frostburg State Softball, please visit http://frostburgsports.com.
