FAIRMONT, W.Va. – Emma Gates tossed her first career no-hitter and Abbie Keilholz hit her fourth home run of the season as the Fairmont State (15-13, 5-3 in Mountain East Conference play) softball team won game one 10-0 in five innings before falling 4-2 in game two to Notre Dame (Ohio) on Sunday (March 26) at Duvall-Rosier Field in Fairmont, W.Va.
 
Game One – Fairmont State 10, NDC 0 (5 inn.)
After a scoreless first inning, Peyton Wetherholt started the bottom of the second inning with a walk. Courtney Moyer was safe on a sacrifice bunt error after a bobble by NDC to put runners at second and first with no one out. Keilholz singled to right field and scored Wetherholt for the team's first run. Moyer scored on a wild pitch and Darnell scored Keilholz on a base hit to left to put the Fighting Falcons ahead, 3-0. Fairmont State added a run on an RBI fielder's choice from Emily Riggs and a Myaih Cloud singled home Alexa Andrews to complete a five-run second inning for the Fighting Falcons.
 
Fairmont State continued to flex its muscles offensively and scored two in the third on an RBI by Brianna McKenzie and a sacrifice fly by Andrews. Keilholz smacked a three-run home run in the fourth to extend the Fairmont State lead to 10-0.
 
NDC had one batter reach in the first inning on an error. Emma Gates sat down Notre Dame (Ohio) 1-2-3 in innings 2-5 and did not allow a hit in the five-inning game. She struck out one batter and improved her record to 7-3.
 
Keilholz knocked in four RBIs and finished with two hits. Workman also slugged for a pair of hits. Cloud, Darnell, McKenzie, Andrews and Riggs all finished with an RBI in the 10-0 win.
 
Game Two – NDC 4, Fairmont State 2
NDC jumped out to a lead in the top of the second inning after three runs. Darnell crossed the plate after Andrews recorded an RBI infield single and Fairmont State trailed by two runs after three. Fairmont State responded in the sixth inning after NDC scored a run in the top half of the inning when Jordan Novak scored Workman on an infield hit. The Fighting Falcons brought the tying run to the plate in the seventh inning. Notre Dame freshman Grace Fisher recorded the final out and earned a complete game win after limiting the Fighting Falcons to two runs.
 
Andrews had two of the Fairmont State hits and finished with an RBI. Workman, Novak, Darnell and McKenzie rounded out the hits for FSU. In the circle, Shelby Reed allowed two earned runs in seven innings while striking out four.
 
Up Next
Fairmont State softball is scheduled to begin a 10-game road trip on Wednesday (March 29) with a doubleheader at Frostburg State starting at 2 p.m.