SALEM, W. Va. – The Frostburg State Softball team split their doubleheader against Salem on Saturday afternoon, winning game one 11-1 and dropping game two 4-1.

Things started off on the right foot for the Bobcats, as senior Gracie Nelson and junior Kylee Piconi worked full counts leading to walks, then after the Tigers got two outs, sophomore Brianna Russo hit a double to right center, scoring a pair of runs. Senior Ally Myers then stepped into the box and launched one over the left field fence for a two-run homer, giving FSU an early 4-0 lead.

Freshman Izzy Dietrich started in the circle for Frostburg, working a 1-2-3 first inning, then after a single in the second, her defense rolled a double play to keep SU scoreless. In the top of the second, the Bobcats showed no signs of slowing down, as Nelson was hit by a pitch and Piconi beat out a bunt to first. Senior Arden Miller then sent a 3-2 pitch up the middle to score Nelson before sophomore Izabella Donaldson hit a sac fly to left, bringing Piconi home for a 6-0 FSU lead. In the bottom of the frame, after a double, Dietrich was able to get the next three batters via a strikeout and a pair of grounders in keeping her shutout bid alive.

Frostburg took a while to generate any runs in the third, but when they did, they made it count, as sophomore Zoey Marinello and Nelson each worked four-pitch walks before Piconi singled to load the bases. A fielder's choice from Miller kept the bags loaded, which allowed for a Donaldson single to score two runs, while Miller came around to score on a wild pitch, ballooning the Bobcats' lead to ten. Another 1-2-3 inning went by for Dietrich before her offense was able to add a little more insurance with junior Morgan Gross working a walk, Marinello knocking one through the 5-6 hole, and Nelson working another free pass to put a runner on every base before Miller took a four pitch walk to bring Marinello in to score for an 11-0 lead.

The bottom of the fourth was when Salem was able to break through Dietrich, as two singles, a fielder's choice, then another hit brought in a run, lowering the Tigers' deficit to ten. Dietrich was able to get the last batter to pop up to sophomore Sage Haller at short. With FSU going down without a score during their at-bats in the seventh, junior Maddie Smith came in to relieve Dietrich, getting the first batter on a swinging strike, then getting the last two to fly out, giving Frostburg the 11-1 mercy rule victory. 

Piconi led the offense with a pair of hits as Donaldson recorded three RBIs and Miller, Russo, and Myers each knocked in two runs. Dietrich earned the win, pitching four innings, surrendering one run on five hits and striking out one, as Smith was in the circle for one inning of relief, allowing one baserunner from a walk.

Nelson started game two by reaching base for the fourth consecutive time on the day before stealing second, then reaching third on a bunt single from Piconi. A walk from Miller loaded the bases, but Salem pitcher Kendall Lemley, made swift work of the next two batters, inducing a swinging strikeout followed by a 1-2-3 double play, keeping the Bobcats off the board. In the bottom of the first, the Bobcats sent out freshman Sammy Magee to toe the rubber, but Salem found some momentum as the first three batters reached via a walk, a single, then another hit to bring in a run, making it a 1-0 game.

In the top of the second, FSU had some early traffic with Myers and Haller singling, but back-to-back groundouts kept the score right where it was. The Tigers found more success in the second, as a double and a single put runners on the corners, which led to a sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead. Both sides went down 1-2-3 in the third before Frostburg threatened again in the fourth, with Russo reaching on an error before Myers beat out a grounder to second base, however a pair of fielders' choices and a strikeout kept any Bobcats from crossing the plate. Salem was able to add a third run in the bottom half, as a pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases before another free pass brought a runner home for a 3-0 lead before Myers came on in relief, as she was able to get the last batter to ground out to second. 

After a scoreless top of the fifth, Lemley led off the bottom of the frame with a walk and was able to make her way around the bases to third, but Myers got the last two batters via a strikeout and a grounder. FSU was finally able to break through on offense in the top of the sixth, as Donaldson singled before Russo moved her over with a grounder to the right side, which allowed for a Myers double to score Donaldson and get Frostburg on the board. A pitching change from Salem limited the Bobcats to one run with a couple of fielders choices despite a Haller walk. Salem led off the bottom of the sixth with a single and a walk between a flyout before a throwing error allowed a fourth run to score. With a 4-1 lead, Lemley was able to get the last three batters out with ease to give SU the three-run win and the series split.

Myers led the Frostburg offense with three hits and an RBI as Piconi followed with two knocks.

With the split, the Bobcats are 16-4 on the year as Salem moves to 10-13. FSU is back at it on Sunday, March 29 as they face Point Park for a doubleheader in Pittsburgh, PA, starting at 1PM. For more information, please visit frostburgsports.com