FAIRMONT, W.Va. -- Fairmont State softball improved to 4-0 on the season with a pair of non-conference home victories over Pitt-Johnstown on Friday afternoon at Duvall-Rosier Field. The Falcons rolled to a 9-1 win in game one of the twin bill, before topping UPJ by a score of 8-7 in game two.
Fairmont State scored the first six runs of the day and opened up commanding 6-0 lead in game one of the doubleheader.
Andie Baughman was responsible for three of Fairmont's six runs during that stretch, hitting an RBI double in the bottom of the first and a two-RBI single in the bottom of the fifth.
Abbey Ammons also hit an RBI double later in the fifth inning that pushed Fairmont's lead to six.
After UPJ added its only run of the game in the sixth inning,
Courtney Worcester and Baughman drove in a trio of runs for the Falcons to end the game with a eight-run rule following six innings of play. Worcester began the scoring for FSU in the sixth with an RBI single to bring home
Shelby Reed. Baughman ended the game during the next at-bat with a two-run RBUI single that scored
Alexa Andrews and
Kadi Cosgrove from second and third.
Baughman led the Falcons in the win by batting 3-of-4 with a double and five RBIs. Worcester, Ammons and
Haley McDaniel also recorded two hits apiece for FSU.
In the circle,
Cierra Chastain (2-0) earned the victory for the Falcons after pitching four scoreless innings and hitless innings and recording six strikeouts.
In game two, Baughman continued her big day by hitting a ninth-inning walk-off single to give the Falcons the 8-7 victory in extra innings.
Baughman's walk-off added to her huge performance during the doubleheader, which included a 5-of-8 hitting performance with two doubles and seven RBIs. She also scored two runs in game two.
With the score tied 4-4 after seven innings of play the game went into extra innings. In the top of the eighth UPJ scored a trio of runs to following a two-RBI triple and an unearned run on a Fairmont State error. However,
Hannah Tolle and
Molly Schweitzer hit back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the eighth to re-tie the game at 7-7. Tolle's home run was a two-run shot, while Schweitzer hit a solo shot.
Hannah Workman was placed on second and stole third in the bottom of the ninth inning to put herself in scoring position for Baughman's walk-off hit.
Ashley Strauss earned the first win of her career on Friday afternoon after pitching the final four innings of the victory. Strauss allowed just three hits, one earned run and struck out four during the outing.
Andrews and Schweitzer led the Falcons at the plate in game two with three hits apiece. Baughman, Tolle and Workman each recorded two hits apiece in the game.
Fairmont State will return to action on Saturday, March 13 with a doubleheader at West Virginia Wesleyan College. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. in Buckhannon.
