FAIRMONT, W.Va. – The Frostburg State Softball team dropped both games to MEC rival Fairmont State on Wednesday afternoon, falling on the road by final scores of 7-2 and 10-7. 
 
Fairmont quickly started their offense in the first inning, ripping five hits in their first at-bats and scoring four runs to see a quick 4-0 lead after the first.  Frostburg got their first hit of the game in the top of the second, with sophomore Arden Miller knocking a single to left field but was left on base.  The Falcons continued their spark on offense in their second inning at-bats, hitting a homer to increase their lead to 5-0. 
 
The Bobcats got one on the board in the top half of the third, as senior Ava Gnibus reached base on a bunt and came around to score on an RBI double to right center by junior Allyssa Albright.  With senior Jamie Roberts pitching game one, she was able to settle the Falcons down, stranding two on base in the bottom half of the third to keep the game at 5-1.  In the fourth inning, junior Cristina Sommerkamp doubled down the left field line, but was left on base, as Fairmont tacked on two more runs in the bottom half of the inning. Roberts picked up two strikeouts, allowing the to score read 7-1 heading into the fifth. 
 
Both teams saw a quiet fifth inning, with Roberts striking out another, as Frostburg scored another run in their at-bats of the sixth. Sophomore Gracie Nelson led off with a triple to left and was sent home to score on an RBI single from junior Hanna Binek, bringing the score to 7-2.  Roberts struck out one more in the bottom of the sixth, leaving two on base, as the Bobcats couldn't get anything going in their last at-bats in the top of the seventh, dropping the first game 7-2. 
 
Roberts and Sommerkamp recorded back-to-back singles to start the offense in game two, both being left on base, as the Falcons started off game two the same way they did game one, scoring three runs on four hits in their first chances at the plate. Inning two for the Bobcats was similar to the first, as they were credited with two hits, with Gnibus and Binek reaching on singles, as Frostburg left three on base.  Senior Sydney Theobald got the start from the circle in game two, slowing Fairmont down in the bottom of the second, striking out two of three batters.  The Bobcats got back a run in the top half of the third, as Roberts hit a leadoff double to right center, with senior Ellie Buckheit coming in to pinch run.  Miller then roped a single to left, advancing Buckheit to third.  Junior Samara Funk put the ball in play, reaching on a fielder's choice, allowing Buckheit to cross home plate.  Theobald stranded one Falcon on base in the bottom half of the third, seeing the game at 3-1 heading into the fourth. 
 
Frostburg put three runners on base to start the fourth off of two walks and a fielder's choice, but couldn't capitalize, as Theobald sat the Falcons down in order in their offensive half of the inning.  The Bobcats came alive in the fifth, with Theobold knocking a leadoff single to center field, advancing to second after Funk was walked, and going to third on a single from Gnibus, finally coming home to score on a sacrifice fly from Albright.  Funk then advanced to third on a fielder's choice, crossing home plate to tie the game at three off an RBI single from Nelson.  The Bobcats then took their first lead of the day as Roberts hit a sacrifice fly to center field, scoring Gnibus from third.  Frostburg wasn't done yet, as after reaching on the fielder's choice, Binek was sent home from third along with Nelson, on a two-RBI single to right from Miller, advancing the Bobcat lead to 6-3, leading Fairmont to change pitchers to end the inning.  The Falcons responded right away in their at-bats of the fifth, ripping six hits and scoring four runs to jump back in front 7-6, with senior Kate Chapple coming in to finish out the inning.
 
The Bobcats left one on base in the top of the sixth, as Fairmont tacked on three more runs to their lead, jumping in front 10-6, as Chapple recorded one strikeout in the inning.  Frostburg saw one more time at the plate in the top of the seventh, as Nelson knotted a double to left center to start things off, advancing to third on a wild pitch, and scoring on an RBI single up the middle from Roberts.  Sommerkamp then hit a single to left, advancing Roberts to second, but the Bobcats rally ended there, as the Falcons took game two with a final of 10-7. 
 
Roberts, Miller, Nelson, Sommerkamp, and Gnibus each finished with a trio of hits on the day, with Roberts and Miller being credited with two RBI each. Nelson led the team with three runs scored.  Frostburg's pitching staff of Roberts, Theobald, and Chapple combined for nine total strikeouts over the two games. 
 
With the losses, Frostburg drops to 9-10 on the season, while Fairmont improves to 18-6.  The Bobcats remain on the road for another MEC doubleheader against Notre Dame College on Saturday, March 23 with the first game set for 12 PM.  For more information and updates, please visit frostburgsports.com.