Offense Racks Up 27 Hits, Donaldson, Chapple Shut Down Pioneers in Sweep

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Frostburg State Softball team snapped their seven-game losing streak in emphatic fashion with a road doubleheader sweep of Point Park on Monday by scores of 4-2 and 6-1.
 
Freshman Bri Russo started game one by lining a ball up the middle for a lead-off knock, but a strikeout and double play ended the Bobcat at-bats. In the circle, freshman Izabella Donaldson got a pair of quick outs, then worked around an infield single and stolen base with a grounder to third to set the Pioneers down without a run. In the top of the second, senior Hanna Binek looped a ball just over second base for a one-out single and moved up to second on a sac bunt from junior Gracie Nelson. Being in scoring position ended up not mattering in the end, as junior Olivia Stetler took a fastball the other way, blasting it over the fence in right-center for a 2-0 FSU lead.
 
Donaldson worked out of a bit of trouble in the bottom half after PPU worked a single and a walk, as a fly out to Russo in right ended the frame again without the hosts scoring. Russo then earned her second knock of the game again through the middle, while senior Samara Funk kept the inning alive with a two-out infield single, but both were left stranded after a strikeout. Another Point Park single resulted in no further damage, with Donaldson getting a high fly ball to junior Arden Miller in left.
 
Frostburg tried to use some small ball to get an insurance run in the fourth, as Binek poked a single the other way and moved up on another Nelson sac bunt. Stetler also singled into right to put runners on the corners and was pinch-ran for by freshman Ava Fair. Trying to catch the Pioneers off guard, Fair stole second while Binek broke for home, but the hosts were alert to the danger, as the catcher blocked the plate and tagged Binek out, eventually closing out the inning with a strikeout.
 
PPU had their best chance of the game to score so far in the bottom half, as a lead-off walk, sac bunt, and wild pitch put a runner on third with two outs. Seeking to keep the shutout bid going, Donaldson made a great play to field a slow roller and fire to first to end the frame still in the lead. The only batter to reach base in the fifth was a double into right off the bat of Miller, as Donaldson worked her first 1-2-3 inning of the game. She was given a bump to the lead in the sixth, with freshman Zoey Marinello finding a gap between three players in right for a lead-off single, while sophomore pinch runner Katie Healy took advantage of a wild pitch to get into scoring position. Nelson stepped up and worked a fantastic at-bat, getting the count full and fouling off several pitches before finally getting one past short as Healy came in to score for a 3-0 advantage.
 
After a strikeout and fly out started the bottom of the sixth, it seemed as if Point Park would continue to see zeroes across the board, however a two-out error kept the inning going and allowed Alyssa Wahl to smack a ball over the fence and suddenly make things 3-2. With momentum threatening to stay with the home team, Miller swiftly brought FSU right back, pulling a ball deep into left for a solo shot and creating a gap at 4-2. Settling down from allowing the first runs of the day, Donaldson got a couple of soft grounders to Marinello and Funk before a fly ball straight into the glove of Nelson gave Frostburg the 4-2 win.
 
Nelson drew a one-out walk to start game two and stole second after a strikeout, as Funk lined a double into left center for an early 1-0 lead. The Pioneers responded immediately, as an infield single and Bobcat error tied the game up at 1-1. Binek put a ball into right to lead off the second, moving to second with an error on the play, but couldn't advance further. In similar fashion, PPU started their at-bats with a single to left, moving the runner up on a sac bunt but failing to take the lead.
 
Russo continued to impress at the plate with yet another single into center, moving to second on a Nelson sacrifice. Funk picked up another RBI double, this time the other way, while Stetler followed with a knock to drive her in. Binek launched a double to straightaway center but a well-run relay by Point Park kept another run from scoring, with things standing at 3-1. Having put traffic on the basepaths in the first two innings, senior Katie Chapple settled down in the third, setting the side down in order to bring Frostburg back to the plate.
 
Two quick fly outs were followed by senior Cristina Sommerkamp roping a ball into left, then the red-hot Russo golfed a ball out of the park for a 5-1 lead. A single to start the bottom of the fourth was followed by a fly out, pop up, and groundout, as Chapple was able to navigate again through the Pioneer lineup. Funk led off the fifth with a walk and moved up to third as Point Park tried to turn a double play but threw the ball into the outfield, however grounder back to the pitcher and liner to second ended the frame without adding to the advantage.
 
In the bottom half, PPU put the first two runners on with a single and fielder's choice, but Chapple remained calm, getting another grounder followed by a fly ball to center and a pop out to get out of trouble. Sommerkamp ripped a ball into the gap in left-center to start the sixth but was thrown out trying to get to third on a ball to center. Despite back-to-back base knocks from Nelson and Miller, the Pioneers got out of the inning with a grounder to third for a force out. Chapple ensured that Point Park didn't get a sense of working back into the game, again going 1-2-3 through the order.
 
Stetler, Binek, and junior Ally Myers put together back-to-back-to-back singles to begin the seventh, with the former coming in to score on the latter's hit. A liner to center kept the two runners at bay then a shot right at the shortstop off the bat of Sommerkamp resulted in a double play to end the inning with a 6-1 lead. Undeterred by an error to lead off the Pioneers' last chance at the plate, Chapple got a pair of grounders fielded cleanly by Sommerkamp and another by Marinello to secure the five-run win.
 
Donaldson and Chapple were brilliant across the two games, combining four all 14 innings with just eight total hits and three runs allowed, none of them earned. The offense went for a total of 27 hits, as Stetler, Binek, Funk, Miller, and Russo each recorded at least three hits apiece, the former driving in a team-high three RBI on the day.
 
With the sweep Frostburg improves to 10-22 on the year, while Point Park drops to 11-16. FSU remains on the road to face Salem in Bridgeport, WV with another doubleheader on Tuesday, April 8 beginning at 12 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsport.com.