Mylee Gdula and
Isabella DePalma combined for seven hits and three RBI, including a solo home run from DePalma, but Frostburg State stayed hot and made it eight straight wins with a 5-4 and 5-3 non-conference sweep over Pitt-Johnstown, Wednesday afternoon in Frostburg, Md. The Mountain Cats are now 10-15.
In the opener, the Mountain Cats jumped on Frostburg State starter Ally Myers for a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Back-to-back one-out singles from Gdula and DePalma, followed by a passed ball put runners on second and third.
Taylor Lupfer then delivered a two-run single to center field to give Pitt-Johnstown the early advantage.
Mountain Cat starter
Mahlon Yonkin held that lead until the Bobcats cut the deficit in half with an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth on Olivia Stetler's RBI single that chased home Myers, who reached on an error to start the inning.
Pitt-Johnstown answered right back with two more runs.
Kylie Mettrick and Gdula singled to start the top of the seventh.
Keira Link pinch ran for Gdula and came across on DePalma's base hit. DePalma then moved to third on
Jessica Pugh's single and scored on a passed ball to make it 4-1.
However, the Bobcats stormed back with four runs in the bottom of the seventh to walk off with their seventh consecutive victory. After cutting it to 4-3, Frostburg State loaded the bases with two outs and plated two more unearned runs to end it on a Mountain Cat fielding error.
Yonkin took the tough loss and slipped to 5-5 after giving up five runs (2 earned) on 11 hits in 6.2 innings. Yonkin also struck out one and walked two.
Gdula went 3-for-4 with a double and an RBI, while DePalma had two hits in three at-bats, drove in one, and scored two for Pitt-Johnstown. Lupfer had a hit and two RBI, and
Audrey Paterson, Mettrick, and Pugh all added hits.
In game two,
Avery Smiach held Frostburg State hitless and fanned five through 2.2 innings, but the Bobcats used a two-out walk, followed by Arden Miller RBI triple and Kylee Piconi's run producing double to take a 2-0 lead after three innings.
DePalma quickly got one of those runs back with a solo homer to lead off the top of the fourth, before the Mountain Cats knotted it at two when Gdula's two-out base hit to right drove home
Brynnae Coe from second in the fifth.
Miller connected for a two-run home run, and Myers added an RBI double in the bottom of the frame to put Frostburg State back on to, 5-2.
Pitt-Johnstown didn't go away and narrowed it to 5-3 with Lupfer's first career home run to begin the sixth inning, but Sammy Magee was able to get out of the inning and Izzy Dietrich pitched a perfect seventh to record the save and clse out the Bobcats' win.
Along with the homers from DePalma and Lupfer, Gdula had a hit and drove in one, and Smiach and Paterson each had hits for Pitt-Johnstown.
Smich tossed the first six innings but took the loss and fell to 0-4. Smiach allowed five runs on five hits, while striking out a career-high eight and walking three.
With the sweep, Frostburg State improved to 24-4 on the season.
The Mountain Cats will host PSAC West doubleheaders against Seton Hill on Friday and California (PA) for Senior Day on Saturday. Both doubleheaders are scheduled for 1 p.m. at the Pitt-Johnstown Softball Field.
