FROSTBURG, Md. - The Frostburg State Softball team recorded a doubleheader home sweep over Alderson Broaddus, breaking out the bats in 9-0 and 13-9 victories.
Junior Sydney Theobald took the circle in game one and worked a dominant first two innings, allowing just one hit while striking out four as the game went into the bottom of the second inning scoreless. That would quickly change, as FSU mounted a two-out rally beginning with an infield single from junior Ellie Buckheit. Sophomore Cristina Sommerkamp worked a walk, then junior Bri Munday cranked a double to center that plated Buckheit for the first run of the game. The Bobcats were just getting started, with junior Sierra Sanderson slapping a double that drove in Sommerkamp and Munday for a 3-0 lead. Senior Bri Powell legged out a single hit to second base to score Sanderson, then stole second and was driven in on a sharp liner by sophomore Jamie Roberts to cap the scoring at 5-0.
The Battlers began the third with a leadoff single, but Theobald worked three straight groundouts to end any chance of a threat. In the top of the fourth, Theobald was helped out by her defense after allowing a leadoff walk and a single to right. The southpaw got an important strikeout looking, then Sommerkamp made a great play at third, fielding a grounder, stepping on third for the force and then firing to first to get the double play and keep AB off the board.
Sommerkamp drew a walk to start the bottom of the fourth, then Frostburg used some more two-out magic to grow their lead, as Powell stepped up and powered a homer to left, bringing the game to 7-0. Roberts reached on a base knock to center and was replaced on the basepaths by freshman Gracie Nelson, who promptly stole second. Sophomore Mackenzie Baker lined a double down the third base line that scored Nelson, then was brought home herself on an RBI single from freshman Arden Miller to grow the lead to 9-0.
After a hit by pitch to open the top of the fifth, Theobald again settled in, forcing three groundouts in a row to put the mercy rule into effect and end the game a couple of innings early. The junior lefty was fantastic in her five innings of work, allowing just three hits with no runs allowed and five strikeouts. Powell was 3-for-3 at the plate, scoring a pair of runs and driving in three RBI to lead the offense, with Sanderson adding a pair of runs driven in and Roberts and Miller both recording multi-hit games.
Alderson Broaddus quickly shook off the loss and came out determined in game two, beginning the contest with a two-run bomb hit over the center field fence for their first lead of the afternoon. FSU responded immediately in the bottom half of the inning, with Miller and Sanderson reaching on infield singles and making their way to third and second, respectively, on some aggressive base running. Powell drove Miller home on a sharply-hit single to shortstop, then stole second as Sanderson raced home on the throw to even the game at 2-2.
In the top of the second, AB came right back and cranked another homer to regain the lead 3-2. After two quick outs to start the bottom half of the frame, it seemed the Battlers would hold on to their lead, but Frostburg had other ideas. Buckheit and Miller were both hit by a pitch, then Sanderson hit a sharp single to load the bases. Powell batted a ball to shortstop and raced her way to first, where she was safe by a hair, plating Buckheit to tie the contest. Roberts then hit a lofty fly ball to left, where the fielder lost her balance, allowing the ball to drop, Roberts to get to second, and the bases to clear for a 6-3 Bobcat lead. FSU still wasn't finished, with Baker reaching on an error, freshman Olvia Stetler lining a single up the middle, and sophomore Allyssa Albright sprinting up the line to get an infield single that totaled another pair of runs for an 8-3 advantage.
On the mound, Roberts found her groove, working scoreless innings in both the third and fourth frames to maintain the lead. Powell reached on yet another infield single to begin the bottom of the fourth, where she was quickly brought home on a moon shot from Roberts to make the game 10-3 Frostburg.
To their credit, Alderson Broaddus refused to give up and would not see themselves get run-ruled again, capitalizing on three Bobcat errors in the top of the fifth to score four runs and suddenly bring things to 10-7, with the rally finally being brought to an end with a clutch strikeout from freshman reliever Ally Myers.
FSU gathered themselves in the bottom of the frame, as junior pinch-hitter Ryann Darling laced a single into center, followed by Miller lining a double down the third base side. Sanderson then laid down a perfect bunt, using her speed to reach first and allowing Darling to score from third to go up 11-7.
Still the Battlers would not give in, cranking their third home run of the day, this one another two-run shot, to get within two at 11-9 in the top of the sixth. They threatened to put further damage on Frostburg, but with two runners on, Myers worked a pop-out to second and a grounder to third to keep the Bobcats in the lead. In the bottom half of the inning, FSU received a pair of insurance runs after a pair of AB errors allowed one run to score, then sophomore Hanna Binek hit a sac fly to center that scored Baker for a 13-9 lead.
Freshman Ashlynn Routzahn was entrusted to finish out the game, though she ran into a bit of trouble at the start of her appearance with a lead-off single and a grounder to first that put the runner at second with one out. She would not be deterred, however, firing a strikeout looking on the next at-bat, then working a groundout to third to end the contest in another Bobcat victory.
Sanderson, Powell, and Roberts all recorded three hits in the game and combined for eight RBI, as Roberts led the way with five, the most by any FSU player this season.
With the sweep, Frostburg improves to 17-8 on the year, while the Battlers fall to 5-19. The Bobcats are back at home on Wednesday, March 29 for a doubleheader against MEC North Divison foe Fairmont State, with game one set to begin at 2 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.
