GAME ONE BOX SCORE         GAME TWO BOX SCORE

(BOWIE, Md.)  The Fighting Falcons of Fairmont (W.Va.) State University swept Bowie State University in a non-conference doubleheader, beating the Lady Bulldogs 6-1 and 4-3.  The loss dips Bowie State's record to 6-9 on the year while Fairmont State improves its record to 7-8.

Fairmont State's Brittany Tallhamer drove in the Fighting Falcons first run of the first game, belting a two-out double to right center, scoring Chelsea Simon. Simon reached on a single through the left side of the Lady Bulldogs defense.

The Fighting Falcons added two more runs to the ledger in the top of the third, courtesy of two errors on the same play. Simon got a free pass to first base after senior Faline Brown (Inwood, W.Va., Hagerstown C.C.) hit her with a pitch to leadoff the inning. Sarah Zeleznikar laced a double down the left field line, scoring Simon. Simon's run was a result of an error by BSU's left fielder on Zeleznikar's double. Zeleznikar also scored on the play after an error by the Lady Bulldogs, giving Fairmont State a 3-0 advantage.

Fairmont State pushed across one run in the sixth and two in the seventh, padding the Fighting Falcons lead to 6-0. The big Fighting Falcons hit in the top of the seventh was a two-run blast over the left field fence by Tallhamer.

Bowie State scored its only run of the opening game in the bottom of the seventh. BSU's Brown singled through the right side, scoring freshman pinch runner Aiyana McNair (Baltimore, MD, Parkville).

Fairmont State totaled 12 hits in game one compared to seven for Bowie State.

Tallhamer led Fairmont State with three hits and Kayla Gray added two hits. Brown led Bowie State with a pair of hits.

Fairmont State's Elizabeth Derrick hit a three-run homer in the top of the second inning of game two to give the visitors an early 3-0 lead. Kim Owens reached on a fielder's choice and Rachel Colebank was hit by a pitch from freshman Megan Alexander, both of which scored on Derrick's blast.

The Bowie State Lady Bulldogs got one run back in their share of the second, when freshman Kristen Lee (Germantown, MD, Northwest) scored after a Kelley Alexander (Damascus, Md., Covenant Life, Montgomery College) RBI. Bowie State could have scored more runs in the inning, but left three ducks on the pond.

Bowie State sophomore Shanae Smoot (Bel Alton, Md., LaPlata) helped the Lady Bulldogs trim the deficit to 3-2 in the bottom of the third inning, scoring via a wild pitch by Fairmont State's Katie Burgess.

Bowie State missed a tremendous opportunity to take control of the game in innings four, five and six. This left the door open for Fairmont State to create a little breathing room in the top of the sixth inning. Gray reached base after a throwing error by junior transfer Shalai Tabor (Waldorf, MD, Delaware State Univ.). Danielle Dalton pinch ran for Gray and wound up scoring following a Derrick single to left field, making the count 4-2 Fighting Falcons.

Lee started the Lady Bulldogs sixth with a walk and moved to second on single to left by Brown. Lee and Brown moved up 60 feet following a wild pitch by Fighting Flacons reliever Zeleznikar. Bowie State freshman Amanda Hedgepeth (Odenton, MD, Arundel) hit a sacrifice fly to left, scoring Lee from third. Tabor and Kelley Alexander hit back-to-back single, but Brown was only able to advance one base each on both hits. With one out and the bases loaded, it appeared Bowie State was ready to pick up a much needed win. However, Zeleznikar sent the next two Lady Bulldog players back to the bench with swinging strikeouts.

Brown, Tabor and Kelley Alexander led Bowie State with two hits each in the final game. Freshman Megan Alexander (Damascus, Md., Damascus) went the distance for Bowie State, allowing four hits, struck out four and walked only one.

The Bowie State Lady Bulldogs will be back in action Thursday (March 18) hosting the Lady Lions of Lincoln University of Pennsylvania. First pitch of this non-conference doubleheader at BSU Lady Bulldogs Field is 1 p.m.