Frostburg State University Athletics

SALEM, Va. – The Frostburg State Softball team kept their MEC Tournament run alive, going 1-1 on the day with a 6-4 loss to Charleston (WV) and a marathon 11-inning, 7-6 victory over West Virginia State on Thursday.
 
Beginning the day against UC, the Bobcats tried to work some two-out magic in the first, as senior Arden Miller drew a walk while classmate Ally Myers ripped a single to left, however a looking strikeout ended the frame. Freshman Izzy Dietrich took the circle and worked an efficient bottom half, allowing just a one-out single around a pair of groundouts and a pop out in foul territory. FSU took advantage of some wayward pitching in the second, as sophomore Sage Haller, graduate Laura Gilford, and senior Gracie Nelson each drew a walk to load the bases. Again with two outs on the board, junior Kylee Piconi clutched up and knocked a single the other way to plate Gilford and Haller for a 2-0 lead.
 
Dietrich then set the Golden Eagles down in order, while sophomore Izabella Donaldson pulled a single just inside third to lead off the third but would be left stranded. In the bottom half, Charleston got their offense going, leading off with a walk and moving the runner up on a sac bunt, scoring them with an RBI hit up the middle. Following an infield hit, a double to the wall in left brought another run home to tie things up at 2-2.
 
Frostburg hit right back in the fourth, as freshman Sammy Magee led off with a knock through the left side, moving up on a sac bunt from Nelson. Piconi drove in her third run of the game, just keeping the ball fair going the other way to put the Bobcats back ahead 3-2. Looking to respond again, the Golden Eagles led off with a single and again laid down a bunt to advance the runner up. Dietrich wouldn't allow them to get further, as a groundout to short was followed by a fly to left to preserve the lead.
 
Still determined to get back in the game, Charleston put the first three runners on in the bottom of the fifth through back-to-back singles and a walk with no outs. Haller fielded a grounder to get the lead runner out at home, then it appeared Frostburg could escape the jam with a pop up to second. UC had other ideas, using a pair of singles either side of reaching on a fielder's choice to net four total runs and flip the game over to a 6-3 lead. FSU wasn't able to get anything going in the sixth, as neither could the Golden Eagles, setting the Bobcats up for their final at-bats in the seventh. Miller ripped a double to center to lead off, as Myers blooped a hit to right to put runners on the corners. Miller came home on a Donaldson sac fly to center, then despite Haller getting on with a knock to center, a fielder's choice and fly out to right gave Charleston the 6-4 win.
 
Piconi led the offense going 2-for-4 with three RBI, as Myers and Magee each added a pair of hits.
 
The loss put Frostburg into an evening elimination game against West Virginia State in game two, who greeted the Bobcats with a walk, single, error, and double in the first inning to take a quick 2-0 lead. Swiftly putting the start behind them, the Bobcats answered with Piconi drawing a walk as Miller reached on a fielder's choice, giving way to Myers belting a homer to straightaway center to tie things at 2-2.
 
With Myers helping herself on the mound, she worked around a lead-off walk in the second, getting a strikeout, foul out, and fielding a grounder to put WVSU down. During the bottom half, Haller earned a four-pitch walk while senior Olivia Stetler got a hit through the 5-6 hole, however a fielder's choice and caught stealing brought the threat to a close. Myers had an efficient third, as FSU left another pair of runners on in their at-bats, stranding Piconi off a single and Myers on a walk. The Yellow Jackets began the fourth with a pair of singles either side of a fielder's choice, however Piconi helped her pitcher out by nabbing a liner straight at her while Haller made a smooth play at short to end the inning.
 
Gilford drove a one-out single to center in the bottom half, as Stetler draw a walk while Magee reached on a fielder's choice, as the pair moved up on a wild pitch. Nelson chopped a ball at the WVSU pitcher, as the ball tipped off her glove, allowing Nelson to reach and Stetler to score to put Frostburg up 3-2. After Haller fielded a grounder for a quick first out, she picked up Myers after a single through the middle, getting another ground ball, stepping on second, and firing to first for an inning-ending double play.
 
Out of a WV State pitching change, the Bobcats were put down in order, as the Yellow Jackets took the plate in the sixth. The first two batters reached on a single and walk, bringing Dietrich on in relief hoping to keep the lead. Following a sacrifice, another bunt was put just far enough out to get the runner home to tie the game. Piconi then threw the lead runner out on the next ball in play, however WVSU put together a two-out rally, using a pair of singles either side of a walk and reaching on a fielder's choice to net three more runs and take a 6-3 lead.
 
In the bottom half, Gilford provided the lone offense on a double to right-center, getting left on base after a pop up and strikeout. Having come on to close out the sixth, Donaldson was back out in the seventh, as the Yellow Jackets attempted to get some more two-out runs on a walk and single, however Haller ended the frame on a grounder. Looking to close things out, WV State got a pair of easy outs in the bottom of the seventh, leaving Miller as FSU's last hope. With her first hit of the tournament, she launched a home run over the wall in left, pulling within two and keeping the game going. Myers then was able to work a walk, then on the first pitch she saw, Donaldson brought the dugout to a frenzy with Frostburg's second homer of the inning, tying the game 6-6 and forcing extra innings.
 
Trying to use some small ball in the eighth, WVSU used a walk to lead things off, moving to second on a sac bunt. Nelson caught a fly out in center for the second out, then on a baserunning gaffe, the next batter was walked, however the runner on second tried to advance to third, as Stetler fired to Piconi to apply the tag and get out of the frame. FSU looked to end things in their trip to the plate, as Stetler put a single into right and was replaced by freshman Ryann Durnall on the bases. Sophomore Zoey Marinello laid down a pinch-hit bunt, while Nelson slapped a hit the other way to get runners on the corners. The Yellow Jackets were able to keep the contest going, getting a strikeout and a fly ball to right.
 
Donaldson made quick work of WV State in the ninth, going three up, three down, as the Bobcats equally went quiet in the bottom half. WVSU had their best chance to score in a while during the tenth, as an error at short and a bobbled ball at third put runners on the corners with two outs. Settling in, Donaldson worked a fly to left that Miller was able to grab to keep the game tied. Magee had the lone FSU hit in their at-bats, while Donaldson remained focused on the mound, getting a 1-2-3 eleventh, getting the last batter to strikeout swinging on a full count.
 
Seeking to put an end to the game, Miller legged out a one-hop infield single to short, then Myers battled back during a 2-2 count to rope a double inside third, as the ball got all the way to the wall, with Miller screaming around the bases and beating the relay home to seal the dramatic 7-6 walk-off win.
 
Six different Bobcats recorded a multi-hit game, led by Myers and Donaldson combining for five RBI. In a brilliant relief performance, Donaldson earned the win with 5.1 innings pitched, not allowing a run and having just two hits against her.
 
With the split, Frostburg moves to 36-15 on the year and will next face Glenville State in another elimination game on Friday, May 8 at 12 p.m. information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.