WILSON, NC – The Frostburg State Softball team opened their season down south on Saturday, playing in two extra inning games, falling to Barton College 6-5 in 12 innings and coming back to defeat West Chester 9-6 in eight innings. 
 
To kick off the season, junior Samara Funk ripped a ball over the fence for her first hit and home run of the season, as well as Frostburg's first run of the game.  After two quick outs to end the top of the first, Barton connected on a leadoff triple, as a grounder to short would plate the run and put the Bulldogs on the board for a 1-1 game to end the first inning. 
 
Both teams had a quick look at the second inning, each earning three quick outs and stranding one on base, as senior Sydney Theobald earned herself a strikeout on the mound. The Bobcats quickly jumped ahead to start the third, as sophomore Arden Miller ripped a leadoff single, advanced on a wild pitch, and scored on a sacrifice fly by senior Jamie Roberts. Theobald worked three straight groundouts in the bottom of the third, as FSU led 2-1 heading into the fourth inning. 
 
Both teams were credited with a hit in the fourth, as junior Cristina Sommerkamp smacked a triple down the right field line for her first hit of the year but was stranded on base.  Funk recorded a single in the fifth, as she was left on base alongside junior Allyssa Albright, who was walked. The Bulldogs recorded two runs and three hits in their offensive half of the fifth, jumping in front 3-2.  Both teams stayed hitless and scoreless in the sixth, as Barton kept their 3-2 lead heading into the seventh. 
 
Miller knocked another leadoff hit to begin the top of the seventh, this time a single to left field.  Funk proceeded to reach first on a fielder's choice and advanced on a throwing error by Barton.  Roberts then grounded out, advancing Funk to third, as a double by Albright brought Funk home to tie the game at 3-3.  Theobald gave up one hit and stranded two Bulldogs on base, as the game headed into extra innings tied at three apiece. 
 
With runners now placed on second for both teams, neither side could take advantage in the eighth. Given another chance,Theobald advanced to third in the top of the ninth on a sacrifice bunt from sophomore Gracie Nelson, then crossed home plate on a groundout from Miller.  Barton tied the game once more, with a similar situation in their at-bat, tying the game at four on a groundout and fielding error by the Bobcats.  Both teams continued to strand runners on base, as Barton picked up a hit in the 11^th inning, but the score remained 4-4 heading into the 12^th. 
 
Freshman Katie Healy was placed on second to start the frame, as she was knocked in to score on a groundout from Miller and a single from Roberts. With FSU now up 5-4, the Bulldogs quickly scored their runner from second to tie the game, then a walkoff double to center field sent another run home, as Barton came out on top 6-5. 
 
In the second game, both Frostburg and West Chester started out hot, as Funk ripped a single to third base, advanced to second on a throwing error, and scoring on a wild pitch, all for a quick 1-0 Bobcat lead.  The Golden Rams knocked in three straight singles, quickly tying the game before taking a 2-1 lead off an FSU throwing error, as the Golden Rams stranded one on base.
 
Both teams saw quiet second and third innings, as Roberts and senior Ryann Darling both smacked a single in the fourth but were left on base, as West Chester belted three hits in the bottom of the inning to build their lead to 4-1.  FSU came alive in the top of the fifth, as Nelson reached on a fielding error by WCU and was knocked in by a Funk homer, her second of the day, to bring the game to 4-3.  Roberts reached base on a single through the right side and advanced to second and third on two wild pitches, but was left hanging.  T

he Golden Rams kept their bats going in their offensive half of the fifth, scoring another run off an RBI double to increase their lead to 5-3 heading into the sixth. Frostburg rallied in the top of the seventh to tie things at five apiece in their last chances, as Miller hit a homer, Funk legged out a triple, and was sent home to score off an RBI single from Roberts. Roberts, in the circle for the second game, only gave up one hit in the bottom of the seventh, as FSU would see their second extra inning game of the day. 
 
FSU found their way in the top of the eighth, as Sommerkamp boarded with a single and Miller reached on a fielder's choice, as Funk stayed hot, ripping a three-RBI triple to put the Bobcats up 8-5.  Roberts then continued her hot streak as well, slicing a single down the right field line, bringing Funk across the plate to build their lead to 9-5.  Roberts gave up two hits and a run to the Golden Rams in the bottom of the eighth, as the Bobcats were able to hang on for the 9-6 win.

Funk was a juggernaut offensively, going 6-for-10 with four extra base hits, six runs scored, and six RBI on the day, as Roberts was close behind, batting .500 with five hits and four RBI. Between Theobald and Roberts on the mound, the pair combined to allow just six earned runs while striking out eight. 
 
With the split, Frostburg goes to 1-1 on the season and will stay to face both the Bulldogs and Golden Rams again tomorrow, February 18, playing Barton first at 9:30 AM.  For more information, please visit frostburgsports.com.