FERRUM, Va. – The Frostburg State Softball team swept Ferrum on the road Thursday afternoon, winning by scores of 14-1 and 4-2.
 
FSU couldn't have asked for a better start to the day, as senior Gracie Nelson led off game one with a walk, then junior Kylee Piconi launched a homer into left-center for an immediate 2-0 lead. Senior Arden Miller and sophomore Bri Russo were then also given free bases before senior Ally Myers loaded the bags on an infield single. Stepping up with a clutch two-out single, sophomore Izabella Donaldson roped a ball into left field to plate two more runs and make the lead 4-0.
 
Getting the start in the circle, freshman Izzy Dietrich struck out the first batter she saw, then worked a pair of grounders either side a single to keep the Panthers off the board. The Bobcats continued to stay hot on offense, as Nelson doubled the other way before Piconi bunted her way on and Miller drew her second walk. Senior Olivia Stetler brought home Nelson and Piconi with a single into right, then Russo got an RBI after a fielder's choice and a sac fly from Myers put the score at 8-0.
 
Dietrich wasn't about to let Ferrum's offense gain any momentum, tossing a 1-2-3 bottom half to bring Frostburg back to the plate. Freshman Mackenzie Monahan and Nelson worked back-to-back knocks to start things off, then Piconi blasted her second home run of the day to push the advantage up to 11-0. Continuing to roll through the Panthers lineup, Dietrich got a put out, fielder's choice, and groundout while only allowing a single to get things into the fourth frame.
 
After Ferrum got a strikeout to start, Donaldson sent a ball back up the middle before Monahan followed with a hit into left. Continuing her career day, Piconi put a double into right-center for her sixth RBI and putting the score at 12-0. For the first time of the afternoon, the Panthers got their lead runner on to begin the bottom half with a walk. The runner wouldn't be on base long, however, as Dietrich was helped out by a rare 5-4-3 double play followed by a swinging strikeout to keep the shutout bid going.
 
FSU put up more offensively in the fifth, as sophomore Sage Haller led off with a single before being replaced on the bases by Russo following a fielder's choice. Ferrum thought they could get out of the frame after a foul out to first, but freshman Ryann Durnall kept things alive with a pinch-hit walk. Donaldson followed with an RBI single while Monahan doubled down the line in left to put things at 14-0. In the bottom of the fifth and with Dietrich having been substituted on the mound, the Panthers were finally able to put a little offense together, drawing back-to-back walks off of freshman Sammy Magee. A double into left-center broke up the shutout, however Magee settled in and struck out the next three batters she saw to end the game with the 13-run mercy rule win.
 
Piconi went a perfect 4-of-4 at the plate while driving in six RBI, as Donaldson and Monahan each recorded a trio of hits with four combined RBI. Dietrich tossed four scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and a walk while working a pair of K's to earn the win.
 
Game two began in similar fashion to the first, with Nelson drawing a walk, moving to second on a grounder, and coming in to score on an RBI single from Miller for a quick 1-0 lead. Donaldson was handed the ball and was able to get around a two-out double with a fly ball out to left. Frostburg doubled the lead in the second, as sophomore Zoey Marinello lined a ball up the middle, advanced on a groundout, and was driven in on a single just inside first base off the bat of Magee.
 
The Panthers continued their struggles at the plate, managing just one baserunner through the next four innings as Donaldson maneuvered her way through the lineup. In the top of the fourth, Nelson reached base again with an infield single, stealing second and getting to third on a grounder to second. Miller then legged out an infield hit to plate the third Bobcat run of the game. After a scoreless fifth, FSU came back up in the sixth, where Nelson again would be the thorn in Ferrum's side, reaching on an error in left and getting to third following a fly out. Stetler lined a ball to third that brought Nelson in and made things 4-0.
 
In the bottom half of the frame, the Panthers got their first baserunner since the third inning, working a lead-off walk followed by a fielder's choice and bunt to load the bases. Donaldson was able to get a pair of strikeouts, however wild pitches either side of another K brought two runners in to halve the deficit to 4-2. Working out of further damage, Donaldson completed her strikeout of the side to leave two runners in scoring position.
 
Having been unable to add any insurance runs in the top of the seventh, Frostburg sent Myers on to try and close things out in the bottom half. She ran into some early trouble with a walk and a single into right, bringing the winning run to the plate. Piconi was able to cleanly field a groundball and get the lead runner out, then Nelson made a catch in center and the former caught a ball on the hop and threw to first to end the game and earn the 4-2 victory.
 
Five different Bobcats recorded multiple hits in the game, with Miller driving in a pair of RBI and Nelson scoring three runs. Donaldson allowed two runs on three hits with six strikeouts through six innings of work to improve to 5-0 on the year, while Myers netted her first save of the season with her scoreless inning.
 
With the sweep, Frostburg improves to 11-1 on the year, while Ferrum drops to 8-18. FSU will next play their MEC opener against Davis & Elkins on Saturday, March 21 at 4 p.m. from Mylan Park in Morgantown, WV. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.