HICKORY, NC – The Frostburg State Softball team dropped both games against No. 25 Lenoir-Rhyne on Saturday afternoon, falling by scores of 9-0 and 11-4.

Frostburg was able to get one runner on in their first at-bats of the first game, but were unable to get anything going, leaving one on base. Senior Sydney Theobald got the start from the circle for the Bobcats, seeing three batters for three quick outs in her first look at LRU. Senior Ryann Darling recorded the Bobcats' first hit of the day, hitting a leadoff single down the left side in the top of the second, but FSU failed to keep anything going. Theobald continued to sit down the Bears, giving up one hit in the bottom of the second, but stranding two on base.

In the bottom half of the third, LRU started to come alive, knocking four hits for three runs. Senior Jamie Roberts earned a leadoff single to start the fourth, as Frostburg could not respond, leaving three runners on base. Theobald put the Bears out in order in the bottom half of the inning, as LRU led 3-0 heading into the fifth.

Junior Hanna Binek earned a walk in the fifth, being the only Bobcat to reach base in the inning. LRU was able to find another spark on offense, tacking on three more runs to their lead off of three hits, to go up 6-0 heading into the sixth. FSU couldn't get anything going in the top half, as the Bears kept their rhythm on offense, scoring three more runs to take the game 9-0 by mercy rule in six innings.

FSU came out hot to start the second game as Binek drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a single to center field from sophomore Gracie Nelson. Binek and Nelson both proceeded to score on a three-run bomb to left from Roberts, allowing Frostburg to lead 3-0 after their first at-bats. Roberts, on the mound for the Bobcats, left two Bears stranded on base, while recording two strikeouts as well, to keep the game 3-0 in favor of Frostburg after the first. Freshman Kylee Piconi singled up the middle to start the second inning, but FSU was unable to continue anything offensively. Roberts gave up on hit in the bottom of the second, but left the runner on base, as the game stayed 3-0 in favor of the Bobcats heading into the third.

Nelson recorded another single to lead off the third, as Roberts reached on a fielder's choice. Darling then knocked a double to right center, advancing Roberts to third. Roberts was then able to cross the plate on a wild pitch, increasing FSU's lead to 4-0. Roberts continued to keep LRU scoreless, giving up a hit in the third, but stranding two on base. On offense, Frostburg saw three quick outs, as the Bears started to come alive in the bottom half of the fourth, scoring four runs on five hits to tie the game at 4-4. The Bobcats saw another quick inning on offense, as the Bears kept their spark, putting up two more runs to jump ahead 6-4. Everything continued to go right for LRU both offensively and defensively, as the Bears went for five runs
on five hits in the sixth, to increase their lead to 11-4. FSU saw one last chance in the top of the seventh, but was unable to put anything together, dropping the second game with an 11-4 final.

Roberts, Darling, and Nelson each recorded a pair of hits on the day, with Roberts finishing with three RBI and two runs, as Nelson also finished with a run. From the mound, Roberts was credited with four strikeouts, as Theobald earned three.

With the losses, Frostburg moves to 4-5 on the season while Lenoir-Rhyne improves to 17-5. The Bobcats remain in North Carolina to take on Catawba on Sunday, March 3 for a doubleheader with the first game set for 12 PM. For more information and updates, please visit frostburgsports.com.