FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Softball team opened their 2024 home slate with a sweep of West Liberty by finals of 6-2 and 11-10.
 
Game one began with senior Jamie Roberts taking the circle, as she was able to work around an error and a walk with a strikeout to leave a pair stranded. Junior Samara Funk started FSU's offense with a base hit the other way, followed by a Roberts walk. In an unfortunate turn of events, sophomore Arden Miller laced a ball up the middle, hitting Funk in the process and putting her out due to interference. WLU helped out the Bobcat cause, however, as a high pop up into the wind by junior Cristina Sommerkamp was dropped, with Roberts coming all the way around to score for a 1-0 lead.
 
Roberts was able to get out of another Frostburg error in the top of the second, while in the bottom half junior Allyssa Albright launched her first homer of the year into left center to double the lead. After leaving another pair on base in the top of the third, Roberts helped her own cause with a shot to straightaway center to lead off FSU's offensive half. Miller then drew a walk and was moved to second on a sac bunt from Sommerkamp. Junior Hannah Binek stepped up with a ripped shot to left to plate Miller, then was brought home herself on an RBI double off the bat of senior Ryann Darling. A passed ball allowed Darling to reach third, where she was brought home on a knock from senior Ava Gnibus for a four-run inning and a 6-0 lead.
 
WLU was able to pull a run back in the fourth, leading off with a single and advancing the runner twice through groundouts, while a well-placed bunt pull them within 6-1. After Frostburg went down in order, the Hilltoppers added to their score, using a pair of singles and a double to get the score to 6-2. The Bobcats still couldn't add to their lead in the fifth, then in the sixth, Roberts was able to settle after a pair of walks, working a grounder to short that ended the frame.
 
Funk doubled to right center to start FSU's at-bats in the bottom half, moved to third on a sac bunt from sophomore Gracie Nelson, but couldn't advance further to send the game into the final at-bats. Roberts got the first batter to softly ground to second, then made a great reaction catch on a ball laced right at her, finally ending things on a liner caught by Albright to seal the 6-2 win.
 
Funk and Gnibus both enjoyed mult-hit games, as five different Bobcats recorded an RBI and a run scored. Roberts picked up the complete-game win allowing just five hits across the seven innings.
 
In similar fashion to game one, senior Sydney Theobald kept the Hilltopper bats quiet in the first and was given an early lead to start the second game. Nelson and Roberts both drew one-out walks, then Miller was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Sommerkamp put the ball right back up the middle to score both Roberts and Nelson, then Binek plated Miller on a sac fly to center for a 3-0 Frostburg lead.
 
Each side went down in order in the second frame, bringing West Liberty back up in the third. A lead-off double was followed by a single into center and an advance on the throw to put a pair in scoring position with no outs. Theobald fielded a grounder right back at her on the next batter and got the out at first, but in an attempt to try and throw out the runner at second, FSU threw the ball into the outfield, bringing home a pair of Hilltopper runs and a 3-2 ballgame.
 
Frostburg couldn't put anything on the board in the third, but Theobald ended the top of fourth with a strikeout to keep the Bobcats with a one-run lead. Sommerkamp knocked another hit to lead off the bottom half, then as Binek attempted to move her up on a bunt, the pitcher threw the ball past second base and all the way to the outfield fence, as both players came all the way around to score on a little league home run and a 5-2 advantage.
 
WLU quickly hit back, launching hit after hit on their way to a five-run fifth inning. The visitors notched four singles, a double, and a three-run home run that brought them all the way back to their first lead of the day at 7-5. Sophomore Ally Myers was brought in to finish the inning, as despite walking the first batter, she got a liner to left that was caught by Nelson to end the inning.
 
The Bobcats went quickly in their half, as did West Liberty in the top of the sixth, paving the way for a massive FSU offensive bottom of the frame. Continuing to rake, Sommerkamp again went up the middle to lead things off, getting to second on a hit into right from senior pinch-hitter Brianna Munday, as each runner moved up on a walk from Gnibus after an impressive at-bat. Albright was hit by the very next pitch to bring Sommerkamp home, then Funk punched the ball the other way, as the Hilltopper right fielder allowed the ball to go past her all the way into the corner, bringing all three runners around to put Frostburg back ahead 9-7.
 
Determined not to go home empty-handed, West Liberty notched a pair of singles to start their last at-bats, then after a grounder got one runner out, the next batter found a gap in left-center to plate a run and get within 9-8. In the second pitching change of the game, senior Katie Chapple was entrusted to get Frostburg out of the inning, though the first batter got a hit that re-loaded the bags. Chapple was able to work a grounder on the next at-bat, but the ball was thrown away attempting to get the out at home plate, with two Hilltoppers scoring for a 10-9 lead. A fly-out to center and a strikeout to end the inning helped Chapple escape further damage, keeping the deficit at one and giving FSU a chance to win in the bottom of the seventh.
 
Roberts immediately sent a pitch she liked back where it came from to reach, being replaced on the bases by freshman Katie Healy. Miller did her job and got Healy over on a sac bunt, then as she had done all day, Sommerkamp came up clutch, launching a double into the gap in left-center to bring Healy all the way in from first for a 10-10 tie. Binek stepped in with a chance to be a hero, which she took with a shot into left field that scored Sommerkamp and send the dugout into a frenzy with an 11-10 walk-off win.
 
Sommerkamp was the driving force on offense, tying her career-highs with four hits and three RBI, while also scoring three runs. Binek and Funk each added a hit and a pair of RBI, while Chapple earned her first win of the season on the mound.
 
With the sweep, Frostburg improves to 14-11 on the year, while West Liberty drops to 10-18. The Bobcats quickly return to Bobcat Field on Saturday, March 30 to face Wheeling at 10 a.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.