MORGANTOWN, W. Va. – The Frostburg State Softball team upped their winning streak to nine games with a sweep of Davis & Elkins in their Mountain East Conference opening series.
FSU tried to work some two-out magic in their opening at-bats, as senior Arden Miller singled the other way and classmate Olivia Stetler drew a walk, but a pop up left both runners stranded. The Senators took quick advantage of a Bobcat error, going for a pair of knocks up the middle before scoring the game's first run on a fielder's choice. Frostburg went down without much threat in the second thanks to a double play, while freshman Izzy Dietrich sat D&E down in order in the bottom half.
Back at the plate in the top of the third, FSU put each of the first three batters on, as senior Gracie Nelson sent a ball up the middle, junior Kylee Piconi ripped a double to right, and Miller brought both in on a two-RBI hit. After two quick outs, sophomore Izabella Donaldson and senior Ally Myers kept the rally going, knocking back-to-back doubles to plate two more runs and take a 4-1 lead. Dietrich was efficient in putting Davis & Elkins away, working a trio of grounders and being helped out in part by Miller diving to limit a surefire double into just a single.
The Bobcats continued to make the Senators work to get out of innings, again putting on damage with two outs. Piconi and Miller each drew walks, then Stetler lined a ball into right, followed by sophomore Bri Russo doing the same to put another pair of runs on the board. Continuing to hold D&E in check, Dietrich worked a 1-2-3 fourth, while FSU managed just one baserunner in the fifth.
Coming back up in the bottom half, Davis & Elkins swiftly cut into the deficit with a solo homer to lead things off, with back-to-back singles putting more traffic on the bases. Dietrich was helped out on a great defensive play from sophomore shortstop Sage Haller, who fielded cleanly, stepped on second, and threw the runner down at first for a double play. Shaking off what appeared to be a momentum stopper, the Senators still were able to net an RBI single to cut the lead down to 6-3.
Following a scoreless top of the sixth, Dietrich needed just four pitches to set D&E down in the bottom half. Frostburg wasn't able to add any insurance runs in the seventh, giving the Senators one more chance to salvage something from the game. Dietrich ensured there would be no late rally, getting a pair of grounders over to Haller before fielding one of her own to end the game with the three-run win.
Nelson, Miller, Stetler, and Donaldson all had multi-hit games, while Russo drove in a pair of RBI and Piconi scored two runs. Dietrich three seven innings without walking a batter, allowing three runs on seven hits with a pair of strikeouts.
Looking to take an early lead in game two, Nelson bunted her way on to lead off, followed by an error that allowed Piconi to reach. After a fielder's choice and fly ball to left, a passed ball put two runners in scoring position, however Russo's shot into right was caught before hitting the turf, ending the frame. Freshman Sammy Magee then took the circle and hit the first batter she saw, however calmed down to work a pop up, fly out, and liner caught by Piconi at third.
A double play ended FSU's threat in the second after Myers had singled through the right side and Haller drew a walk, while Magee put the Senators down in order. In the top of the third, Nelson blooped a single into center before advancing on a wild pitch, as Piconi drove a double into the gap in left-center to put the Bobcats ahead 1-0. Hitting back with a quick response, Davis & Elkins drove a homer into left to tie the game, then strung together a pair of singles either side of a double to put two more runs on the board and take a 3-1 lead, with Myers closing out the frame on a fly out to center.
Stepping in to lead off the fourth, Donaldson took D&E's momentum away by getting hold of a 3-1 pitch and launching it well over the center-field fence to pull the deficit down to one. Myers put up an easy 1-2-3 bottom half, however Frostburg wasn't able to put any runs across, as Piconi and Stetler singled up the middle while Russo walked to load the bases, with Donaldson just missing another homer on a fly out.
The Senators looked to add another run to their advantage, getting a pair of singles either side of a swinging strikeout. Piconi ensured that neither would be able to reach home, leaping up to snag a liner and end the frame. Searching for a way back into the game, Haller placed a ball perfectly into the left-center gap before sophomore Zoey Marinello got her to third on a blooped single into center. After a pop out to third put FSU down to their final out of the inning, a pitch got away from the D&E catcher as Haller sprinted home to tie the game at 3-3.
In the bottom half of the sixth, Donaldson took over for Myers in the circle and put Davis & Elkins down without any fuss, as Nelson tracked back to catch a deep fly in center. Miller led off the top of the seventh with an infield single, followed by Stetler lining one into right that put the former on third. Russo got a signal from Head Coach Guy Robertson and laid down a bunt, as Miller got halfway down the line before scoring on the throw to first to get a 4-3 lead. Donaldson nearly helped her cause with a soft liner the other way, but a shoestring catch by the right fielder held the runner in check.
Looking to close things out, Donaldson ran into some early traffic with a lead-off single into center, however she got the next batter to go down swinging. A weakly hit looper then landed in between the infielders to put another runner on, with Donaldson working another swinging K to put the Senators to their final out. On a soft blooper into center, Nelson came charging in and squeezed her glove to seal the one-run victory and secure the sweep.
Nelson, Piconi, and Stetler drove the offense with six combined hits, while Myers and Donaldson combined to throw 4.1 shutout innings with just four hits allowed and three strikeouts.
With the sweep, Frostburg improves to 13-1 on the year while Davis & Elkins drops to 4-22. FSU will next travel to Fairmont, WV to play West Virginia Wesleyan at Duvall-Rosier Field on Sunday, March 22 at 12 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.
