Close Game Two Victory Gives Softball Split with Fairmont State

FROSTBURG, Md. – In a battle at the top of the MEC North Division, the Frostburg State Softball team battled back from a 5-2 loss with a 3-2 victory to earn a home split with Fairmont State on Thursday.
 
The Fighting Falcons were ready to hit from the get-go, singling four straight times to lead off the game, bringing two runs across in the process. Senior starter Jamie Roberts was able to settle down after the early knocks, working a pair of grounders and a pop-up to limit the damage to just two scores.
 
With two outs, Roberts earned Frostburg's first hit of the day in the bottom of the first, but she would be the only player on either side to reach base until the top of the third. Fairmont  worked a lead-off single followed by a walk and sac bunt to threaten again, as back-to-back hits and a bases-loaded walk plated another three runs to put the visitors up 5-0.
 
Neither side generated much offense in the fourth, then in the bottom half of the fifth, sophomore Arden Miller got the Bobcats' first hit since the opening frame with a lead-off single. Back-to-back outs threatened to leave her stranded, but senior Ryann Darling came up clutch, smacking a double into right-center to score Miller all the way from first, putting Frostburg's first run on the board.
 
Roberts was able to work out of a two-out jam in the top of the sixth, leaving a pair on base in the process. Sophomore Gracie Nelson was able to leg out an infield single to start the bottom half, moving to second on a rope into left from Roberts. Senior Ellie Buckheit came in to pinch run for the latter, as she moved up to third with Fairmont trying unsuccessfully to turn a double play off the bat of junior Samara Funk, with runners now at the corners. Miller launched a double into right-center that two-hopped to the fence, bringing Buckheit in from third, though Funk was thrown out at home after the Falcons turned in a well-worked relay that brought the score to 5-2.
 
Roberts once again worked into and out of traffic in the top of the seventh, with two of the first three batters reaching before an infield fly and lineout to short ended the frame. Down to the final three outs, Albright ripped a single into left, then senior pinch runner Brianna Munday moved to second on a sacrifice, but a pop-out ended the game with Fairmont taking the 5-2 victory.
 
Roberts and Miller both recorded multi-hit games, with the latter and Darling responsible for the two Bobcat RBI.
 
Senior Katie Chapple took the mound in game two and found herself in a similar scenario to begin the first inning, allowing a walk and single with one out. She was able to get a fielder's choice groundout to put runners at the corners with two outs, then the Falcons tried a double steal, but Frostburg's defense was ready for it, with freshman Kylee Piconi applying the final tag in a quick rundown to keep the game scoreless.
 
Nelson started the Bobcat offense with a bloop double into left, then Roberts drove a deep ball out to center that Nelson was able to score all the way from second on a sac fly for Frostburg's first lead of the day. Chapple was dominant in the circle over her next three innings of work, allowing just one baserunner to bring the Bobcat bats back up in the bottom of the fourth.
 
Roberts knocked in her third hit of the day to lead off, being replaced on the basepaths once again by Buckheit, who immediately moved up on a passed ball. Sophomore Ashlynn Routzahn blasted a ball off the fence for a double, as Buckheit came around to score easily. Routzahn then moved up a base on a grounder to the right side of the infield, coming in to score after the Falcons mishandled a play at third, ending the inning with a 3-0 lead.
 
Fairmont looked to get some momentum with a one-out double in the fifth, but Chapple shut the door by getting a pop-up and striking out the final batter to keep her shutout bid going. Both sides went down quickly in their next at-bats, then the Bobcats left a pair stranded in the bottom of the sixth to bring the Falcons to their final chances at the plate.
 
Chapple got the first batter to ground out, but a single followed by a deep double brought Fairmont within 3-1. A big strikeout from Chapple put the Falcons down to their final out, but they were determined not to let their sweep potential go to waste, earning a single and walk to pull within one with a pair of runners still on base. Settling the Frostburg nerves, the next batter hit a flare out to left that Nelson was able to race in and catch for the final out in a hard-earned 3-2 victory.
 
Nelson was the lone Bobcat to record two hits in the second game, as Roberts and Routzahn each earned an RBI. Chapple was brilliant in earning her third win of the year, tossing seven innings with just the two runs allowed on six hits, striking out three.
 
With the split, Frostburg moves to 23-16 on the year, while Fairmont is now 32-10. The Bobcats hit the road for their next matchup on Saturday, April 20, facing Wheeling at 12 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.