SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Fairmont State softball team (2-2) wrapped up a four-game series with Shippensburg (1-1) by splitting a doubleheader on Saturday (Feb. 11) at Robb Field in Shippensburg, Pa.

Abbie Keilholz totaled four hits on the day, including her first collegiate home run in game two of the doubleheader. Emma Gates pitched 5.0 innings and gave up two earned runs in her second outing and second win of the season.

Game One – SHIP 9, FSU 8 (10 inn.)

 The Raiders plated six runs in the second inning after a grand slam and a 2-RBI double. Emily Riggs drove in the Falcons' first run of the game on a double to center field in the fourth inning. Keilholz knocked in Hannah Workman and put the Falcons within four runs. Productive RBI groundouts by Peyton Wetherholt and Elizabeth Waszkiewicz put Fairmont State within two runs. Mackenzie Maddy delivered a two-out knock to right centerfield and scored Carlie Schlosser to bring the Falcons within one run.

Keilholz continued her big day at the plate and tied the game with a two-out RBI hit to score Workman. Neither team scored in the sixth or seventh inning and the game went into extra innings. With one out, Wetherholt scored Riggs in the top of the eighth inning. With two outs, Waskiewicz stepped up with a clutch two-out double in the gap that scored Wetherholt to put Fairmont State ahead by two runs. The Raiders rallied in the eighth and scored two runs to send the game to the ninth. Shippensburg had a chance to walk it off in the bottom of the ninth with a runner at third and one out. Caitlyn Kassay, who came on in relief, forced a ground out and a strikeout to force a 10th inning. The Raiders came up with a two-out RBI base hit to win the extra-inning battle, 9-8.

Kassay pitched 6.2 innings and surrendered just two earned runs. Judeah Morris and Keilholz both finished with multi-hit games.

 Game Two – FSU 6, SHIP 3

 With one out in the first inning, Workman ripped a single to left field. Riggs drew a walk to put two runners on for Keilholz. Keilholz blasted her first collegiate home run over the center field wall and gave the Falcons an early 3-0 lead. Shippensburg answered with a pair of runs in the bottom half of the first inning and Fairmont State held a 3-2 advantage.

Morris drew a two-out walk in the second inning and stole second with Workman at the plate. Workman singled and advanced on a throw home to put runners at second and third for Fairmont State. Riggs smoked a gap shot and drove home Morris and Workman to increase the Falcons' lead to three. Shippensburg got a run back in the fourth inning and Fairmont State led 5-3 after four innings.

Riggs led off the fifth inning with a double to left center. Keilholz followed with a base hit to right center and the Falcons had runners at the corners with no outs. Mackenzie Maddy scored Riggs with a base hit to right center and the Falcons pushed the lead back to three runs.

Emma Gates settled in and surrendered two earned runs in five innings of work. She retired the Raiders in order twice and tossed three scoreless innings. The freshman pitcher improved her record to 2-0.

The game was called after five innings due to darkness. Fairmont State won the official game, 6-3.

 Up Next

 The Falcons will head to South Carolina next weekend for games versus Newberry and Lees-McRae beginning on Saturday (Feb. 18).