SHEPHERDSTOWN, W. Va. – The Frostburg State softball team won over regional opponents Indiana (Pa.) and Shepherd on the road. FSU beat IUP 5-4 and then took down the Rams 14-5.
In game one against the Crimson Hawks, freshman Sammy Magee would start in the circle for the Bobcats and immediately ran into some trouble, with a pair of singles and a walk bringing home a run, followed by a stolen base. She was able to limit further damage to an RBI groundout followed by another grounder to short that left the score at 2-0. FSU didn't manage much offense in the first, while in the second, senior Ally Myers drew a two-out walk followed by a Crimson Hawk error but the threat ended on a groundball to second.
Magee worked out of traffic in the third, with IUP getting a single and walk either side of a fly ball to right. A fielder's choice got the lead runner out at third then another clean field on the ground kept the Frostburg deficit at two. Both sides went down in order in their next trips to the plate, bringing the Bobcats back up in the bottom of the fourth. Senior Olivia Stetler led things off with a bang, smoking a double into the gap in right-center while sophomore Bri Russo singled the other way to put runners at the corners. Myers was then hit by a pitch, with sophomore Zoey Marinello getting the all-important hit, driving the ball to right to plate a pair of runs, with an effective relay preventing Myers from scoring the third, leaving the score at 2-2.
Coming on in relief of Magee, freshman Izzy Dietrich worked a 1-2-3 fifth to bring the FSU firepower back to the plate. Senior Gracie Nelson was hit to lead off, moving up to second on junior Kylee Piconi's sac bunt and coming in to score on senior Arden Miller hitting RBI double to left-center. Stetler and Russo then ripped a pair of hits through the left side, loading the bases and bringing up sophomore Sage Haller, who eventually drove Miller in on an RBI fielder's choice. Myers kept the offense going with a single to right, scoring Russo and making the Bobcat lead 5-2. Dietrich got a strikeout, groundout and fly out to end the sixth, with Frostburg then going down in order. Facing their final at-bats, the Crimson Hawks earned a pair of one-out singles, moving both runners up on a grounder to first. Keeping their comeback hopes alive, a single down the line in left brought both in with the go-ahead run coming to the plate, but Dietrich ensured there would be no miracles, earning a strikeout to seal the 5-4 win.
Stetler and Russo each recorded multi-hit games, with Marinello earning herself two RBI.
Frostburg would take on hosts Shepherd in the second game, starting things out by flipping their script from game one. Piconi drew a one-out walk, then after a pop out, FSU was helped out by a Rams error, allowing Stetler to reach while Russo drew another walk to load the bases. Myers would plate Piconi and Stetler on a clutch two-out single to left to take an early 2-0lead. Sophomore Izabella Donaldson would start on the mound, working around a one-out single and walk in the bottom half with back-to-back grounders fielded cleanly by Marinello.
Another SU error in the second allowed Magee to get on base, then Piconi roped an RBI double to left-center to go up by three. With Donaldson going 1-2-3 through the bottom half, Haller legged out a triple and immediately scored on a wild pitch for FSU to be up 4-0 through three. Another quiet Shepherd inning was followed by more Bobcat offense in the fourth. Nelson bunted her way on to lead off, with the third Rams error being followed by a fielder's choice to put runners on the corners. Stetler was able to get an RBI groundout in bringing Nelson home, then Russo lined a single the other way to put the score at 6-0.
Trying to get to Donaldson, Shepherd led the bototm of the fourth off with a single, but a swift 5-4-3 double play eliminated the threat on the bases, while the Meyersdale native sat the final batter down on strikes. For the first time all game, FSU was held quiet offensively in the fifth, as Donaldson ensured SU would do the same in the bottom half. The Bobcats proceeded to blow the game open in the sixth, plating eight runs in the frame. Nelson drew a walk that was followed by four consecutive base knocks from Piconi, Miller, Stetler, and Russo to score three. Myers then drew a walk and Haller was hit by a pitch, while a Marinello single and wild pitch put two more on the board. Freshman Mackenzie Monahan stepped in and worked a sac fly to center to plate Haller and earn her first collegiate RBI, then on the wrap-around, Piconi scored Marinello on a single to left to put the advantage at 14-0.
With Donaldson replaced in the circle, SU finally got some of their offense going under threat of mercy rule, working a trio of walks and a single, double, and triple to score four runs. Myers entered to put out the fire, working a fielder's choice and groundout either side of a passed ball that put the final score at 14-5 with the Rams still two runs away from overturning the mercy rule.
Piconi and Russo drove the offense with a combined five hits and five RBI, while Donaldson tossed five shutout innings, allowing just three hits and a walk.
With the sweep, Frostburg is now 7-1 on the season and will return to play tomorrow, March 8 when they face Bowie State in a road doubleheader starting at 1 PM at the Washington Nationals Youth Academy. For more information please visit frostburgsports.com.
