FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Frostburg State baseball team exploded for 17 runs against Lynchburg College, defeating the Hornets, 17-10, before falling to No. 23 Birmingham-Southern, 6-3, on the second day of the Methodist Tournament.
Box Score - Lynchburg
Box Score - Birmingham Southern
After going down in order in the first inning, the Bobcat lineup came to life in the second and third, scoring 13 runs on five hits. In the second, Shane Boyd and Matt Donaldson had RBI singles and Adam Baxley got an RBI on a bases loaded walk. Pat Sapp followed with a double that plated Baxley and Boyd and senior John Barrett knocked in the final run of the inning with a sacrifice fly to right field.
In the third, six straight Bobcats reached with John Barrett doing most of the damage with a bases-clearing triple. Boyd, Baxley, Donaldson, and Doug Anuszewski also collected RBIs in the inning.
The FSU offense added runs in the fourth and sixth innings before tacking on two more insurance runs in the top of the ninth.
Doug Politz made his FSU debut on the hill, going three innings and striking out four. Entering in relief to pick up the win was senior Tristen Beyer. Ryan D’Arcy threw 2 1/3 shutout innings to shut the door on the Hornets.
Boyd and Sapp both went 3-for-5 with three RBI to lead the Bobcats.
In the second game of the day, FSU jumped out to a 3-0 lead on Birmingham-Southern through five innings. The Bobcats scored two runs in the bottom of the second on an RBI groundout by Boyd and a single by Donaldson. Anuszewski added to the lead in the fifth, knocking in Barrett who reached base on an error by the left fielder.
After chasing the Panther starter, the Bobcat hitters were unable to figure out reliever Blake Yance, who came in to throw 3 2/3 shutout innings to earn the victory.
The Panthers tied the score in the sixth on two hits and an error by the Bobcat defense, and added to their lead with a run in the eighth and two more tallies in the ninth.
Daniel Jester was 3-for-4 for the Bobcats in the second game with a run scored and Donaldson and Anuszewski both added two hits and an RBI.
The Bobcats return to action next Saturday with a doubleheader against Old Westbury. First pitch is at 1:00 p.m.
