Offense Shows 17 Hits in Softball's Opening Doubleheader Loss to Catawba

FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Softball team opened their 2025 season on Friday, facing off with Catawba, where the team dropped both games by scores of 10-9 and 12-0. 
 
Senior Laura Gilford, playing for the first time since the 2023 season, started off Frostburg's campaign this year with a leadoff homerun to immediately put the Bobcats on top 1-0.  Senior Samara Funk also picked up a hit in her first at-bat of the season, raking a double to right center, but was left on base.  Senior Katie Chapple got the nod from the circle to open up the defensive half for FSU, sitting her first three batters down in order. 
 
Senior Cristina Sommerkamp knotted a single in the top of the second, as Catawba recorded their first hit of the day in their at-bats of the inning, but Chapple was able to work out of the jam, leaving two Indians on base.  Frostburg saw a loud third inning, with Gilford starting things off with a double to right center, as junior Gracie Nelson was then walked to put two Bobcats on base.  Gilford scored off a double to left center by junior Olivia Stelter, as sophomore Katie Healy came in to run, with Nelson and Healy crossing home plate on a bomb to center field from junior Arden Miller, all for a 5-0 FSU lead.  Catawba responded well, also coming alive in the third inning, rocking seven hits for seven runs, causing junior Ally Myers to come in to pitch to finish out the inning. 
 
The Bobcats rallied right back, with senior Allyssa Albright sending one over the fence, as well as Gilford for her second of the day, pushing Frostburg right back in front 8-7, with Gilford's being a two-run bomb with freshman Zoey Marinello reaching on a single for her first collegiate hit.  Continuing to go back and forth, the Indians put up two more runs in the bottom half of the fourth, jumping back on top with a 9-8 score. 
 
Both teams saw a quiet fifth inning, as Marinello started the sixth with a single up the middle, with fellow freshman Sage Haller coming in to pinch run.  Gilford singled through the left-hand side, sending Haller to second, as Nelson then put down a sacrifice bunt for Haller to go to third.  Funk then collected a single, sending Haller home for a tie game.  Quick enough, the Indians took a 10-9 lead in the bottom half of the sixth, with freshman Izabella Donaldson coming in to throw from the circle. 
 
Senior Hanna Binek recorded her first hit of the season with a double to left field in the top of the seventh, but was left on base in Frostburg's final at-bats of game one, causing them to fall 10-9 in their season opener. 
 
Gilford continued her perfect day in game two with a leadoff single to left field but was left on base to get the game going.  Donaldson remained on the mound for game two, as Catawba snuck in a quick run in their first at-bats.  Binek racked up another hit in the second, but the Indians started to click at the plate, scoring three runs for a 4-0 lead after two.
 
The Bobcats saw two quiet plate appearances in their next two looks at offense, while Catawba found their success at the plate, taking eight runs off Donaldson, freshman Julia Meagher, and Chapple.  FSU put one on in the top of the fifth, with freshman Brianna Russo drawing a walk, but Frostburg was unable to get anything going, dropping game two 12-0. 
 
Gilford finished the day going 5-for-6 with three runs and three RBI, while Funk was next with three hits, and Stetler, Binek, and Marinello all finished with a pair.  Miller also racked up three RBI on the day, while six other Bobcats scored a run. 
 
With the losses, Frostburg starts the season 0-2, while Catawba moves to 7-5.  The Bobcats remain down south for day two of their three-day trip, facing Flagler at 9:30 AM and Converse at 1:30 PM on Saturday, February 22.  For more information and updates, please visit frostburgsports.com.