PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The Frostburg State softball team took a pair of road games off Point Park on Sunday, winning 13-1 and 16-2.
FSU got things started quickly in game one, with senior Arden Miller driving in classmate Gracie Nelson on a double after the latter and singled and moved up on a wild pitch. Frostburg kept the hitting up with five consecutive singles coming from junior Kylee Piconi, seniors Ally Myers and Olivia Stetler, and sophomores Bri Russo and Sage Haller, all combining to put up four more runs and grow the lead to 5-0. Sophomore Izabella Donaldson would step to the circle, getting a couple quick outs before allowing back-to-back singles, however she got out of trouble with a strikeout looking. Miller would be the lone Bobcat to reach base in the second after being hit by a pitch, as Donaldson worked out of a one-out double with a grounder to second and a pop up to first.
Russo would lead off the third with a single up the middle, with Haller then drawing a walk and a knock from sophomore Zoey Marinello bringing Frostburg's sixth run home. The loan Pioneer run would com in the bottom of the third, with the hosts getting another pair of doubles to make things 6-1. FSU would add to their lead in the fourth, as Miller drove a double to the gap in right-center and came home on a hit up the middle from Piconi. Myers then smashed a homer to straightaway center, growing the lead up to eight. The Bobcats continued to put runners on, drawing a trio of walks to go with a pair of RBI singles from Marinello and Nelson, while freshman Sammy Magee had an RBI groundout to balloon the advantage to 12-1.
Donaldson worked around a pair of infield singles in the bottom half with a strikeout, pop out, and fly out, while Myers would lead off the fifth with another home run and put FSU up 13-1. Getting it done on both sides of the plate, Myers would then come in to close out the game, tossing a scoreless frame around a walk and single for the 12-run win.
Seven of FSU's starting nine players recorded multiple hits, while another four reached at least two runs batted in. Donaldson threw four innings giving up just the one run with three strikeouts to earn her eighth win of the year.
Game two would look very similar to start, with Frostburg putting up a five spot again in the first. Miller legged out an infield single to third, then Piconi hit her third homer of the season to right-center that put FSU up 2-0. Myers, Russo, and Donaldson then all walked to load the bases, as Stetler and Marinello would both knock in runs to put the Bobcats up 5-0. Freshman Izzy Dietrich make quick work of PPU, only facing four batters after cleanly fielding a comebacker.
Frostburg continued to take advantage of the Pioneers missing the zone, as Miller, Piconi, and Russo all walked, while Myers ripped a single through the left side. Donaldson punched one the other way before Stetler did the same in plating a trio of runs, then after Marinello walked, Nelson blooped one into left for a 9-0 score. A wild pitch brought another run across, then Miller and Piconi were each given a base on balls to put the lead at 11 after an inning and a half.
Dietrich sat Point Park down in order, bringing FSU's bats back to the plate in the third. Freshman Ryann Durnall and Donaldson went for back-to-back doubles to left, then Haller and Marinello were both hit by a pitch, allowing Miller to clear the bases on a triple to right-center. A PPU error then allowed Piconi to reach and Miller to score, putting the advantage at 16-0. The Pioneers got a runner on in the bottom half thanks to an error, but Dietrich worked a strikeout, line out, and grounder to keep them off the board before tossing a 1-2-3 fourth as well. With Frostburg going down quietly in the fifth and Dietrich having been taken off the mound, Point Park worked a pair of walks to go with a double to left to plate two runs and break up the shutout, however an inning-ending K brought the final to 16-2.
Miller, Donaldson, and Stetler drove the offense with a combined six hits and nine RBI, as Dietrich would only give up one hit over the four innings she worked while striking out three batters.
With the sweep, the Bobcats move to 18-4 on the year with the Pioneers dropping to 7-14. Frostburg will next host West Liberty on Friday, April for a 1 PM doubleheader at Bobcat Field. For more information please visit frostburgsports.com.
