ATHENS, W. Va. – The Frostburg State softball team picked up a pair of road wins against Concord on Saturday, winning 4-3 and then 6-3.
Sophomore Izabella Donaldson would get the start in game one for the Bobcats and wouldn't give up a hit until the fourth inning, with the only damage against her being a walk in the first. The Bobcats would be held off the board as well until the top of the third, as sophomore Sage Haller led off with a single up the middle, moving to second on a sac bunt and third on a groundout. Senior Gracie Nelson provided some clutch two-out hitting with a single the other way to go up 1-0.
CU got on with another walk in the fourth, as a sac bunt and fly out seemed to put Donaldson through the inning, however a double into left would tie things at 1-1. FSU regained the lead in the top of the fifth with another two-out rally, as freshman Sammy Magee and Nelson would both single to set up senior Arden Miller for a double to center to score both baserunners, going up 3-1. Donaldson worked around a walk and hit by pitch in the bottom half, getting Frostburg back up in the sixth. Continuing to do their damage down to their final out, sophomore Bri Russo went into center on a single, then came all the way around to score as Haller doubled for an insurance run at 4-1. Concord would try and rally in the seventh, leading off with a double and a bunt single, with a double steal plating a run. On another small ball play, the runner moved to third and came in on a sac fly, however with no more runners on base, Donaldson got a ground out to take the win 4-3.
Nelson, Haller, and Magee all recorded a pair of hits, while Miller drove in two RBI. Donaldson tossed the complete game allowing just three hits while striking out four batters.
In game two, freshman Izzy Dietrich took the circle and immediately set the Mountain Cats down in order. FSU would take another early lead when senior Olivia Stetler pulled a single through the left side, Donaldson drew a walk, and senior Ally Myers legged out a bunt single. Haller singled to center for an RBI, however an inning-ending double play kept the damage at one. Dietrich worked out of a jam in the second, allowing a one-out single and walk before getting a grounder to Haller and a swinging strikeout. Nelson started the third with a free base, as Miller had an infield hit and each moved up on a wild pitch. Stetler hit one through the left side of the infield to score Nelson, as Donaldson would then put a ball in play that was misplayed in left field, working a little league home run to plate herself and Stetler to score two more runs and go up 4-0.
Dietrich tossed a 1-2-3 third but faced some trouble in the fourth. A lead-off double was followed by back-to-back groundouts, putting Concord's first run on the board. On what would have been the final outs, two consecutive errors kept the frame alive for the Mountain Cats, with the latter allowing another run to come in for a 4-2 score. The Bobcats weren't able to take advantage of consecutive singles from Stetler and Donaldson in the fifth, while Dietrich got three outs after a single to start the bottom half. In the sixth, FSU added two more runs, as Haller was hit by a pitch while Magee came on as a pinch hitter, launching one over the fence in left for her first collegiate homer and a 6-2 advantage. CU go for another comeback bid in the seventh, as the first two batters reached via a single and a double to get into scoring position. One came home on another error, however an easy pop out and fly ball to left sealed the 6-3 victory.
Stetler and Haller combined for five hits and a pair of RBI, as Dietrich went all seven innings allowing just two earned runs with three strikeouts.
Frostburg is now 31-5 and 14-2 in conference play on the year, while Concord drops to 19-19 overall. FSU will play again tomorrow, Sunday, April 19, when they face off against Glenville State starting at 1 PM. For more information please visit frostburgsports.com.
