SALISBURY, Md. – Coming off of a tough loss to open up the weekend series in Salisbury, the Frostburg State baseball team was quick to put the past day’s performance behind it as it came out with a fiery intensity that helped the Bobcats to a 5-4 victory in Game 1 but they fell short against the Seagulls in Game 2, 3-1.
Box Scores
Game 1
Game 2
Frostburg State (14-10, 3-6 CAC) got off to a shaky start in the first contest, committing three quick errors in the top of the first, but Bobcat starter Cody Ellsworth was able to limit Salisbury (17-5, 6-3 CAC) to just one run thanks to his own “web gem” on the mound and a groundball double play that ended the threat.
The Bobcats quickly countered in the bottom half of the inning. With two outs, hot-hitting Kevin Kean scorched a ball off of the fence in right-center for a triple. After a walk, Dylan Shupe was able to bring Kean home from third with a single to center field, evening the score at one.
The Seagulls retook the lead though in the second inning and then added another in the third for a 3-1 advantage.
FSU was finally able to keep Salisbury off of the board in the fourth and fifth innings and it took advantage as a pair of unanswered runs were manufactured by the Bobcats, one in each inning, bringing the game even once again.
Junior Kenny Georgius, who had come on in relief at the start of the fourth inning, held the Gulls scoreless once again in the sixth and this time the Bobcats would take the outright lead. Kean doubled to lead off the inning and Rob Jennings followed with a single through the left side to put runners at first and third with no outs. Shupe cashed in the very next at-bat when he stroked a double to right-center, scoring Kean and giving FSU its first lead of the series. Jennings would score an insurance run on a sacrifice fly from Ryan McGuigan to now give the Bobcats a two-run cushion heading into the final inning of play.
Salisbury gave Frostburg a scare in the seventh as it rallied to cut the deficit to one but a flawless defensive relay from right fielder Nick McElfish and second baseman J.K. Filauro that caught the potential tying run out at the plate would all but seal the first game for the Bobcats.
Georgius picked up the win in relief for Frostburg, tossing 4.0 innings with one run allowed, improving his record to a perfect 6-0 on the year.
At the plate, Kean and Shupe paced the lineup in Game 1, combining to go 4-for-4 with Kean scoring three runs and Shupe driving in two.
The second game started in a similar fashion to the previous game as the Seagulls were able to grab the early 1-0 lead in the top of the first.
The opposition would add another run in the second inning but the Bobcats would not let the hit go unanswered as they plated a run of their own, thanks to a two-out RBI single from Danny Morris.
The second-inning RBI from Morris would unfortunately be the only run that the offense could conjure up in Game 2. The Bobcat hitters were putting good swings on the ball but the Seagulls made several impressive defensive plays throughout the game to put a halt to any glimmers of hope for Frostburg.
Despite a well pitched game from Austin Poretz, the junior pitcher took the loss on the mound after going the distance for the Bobcats and allowing three runs (one earned) and striking out four.
Dan Fein improved to 5-0 for the Seagulls as he also threw a complete game. The lone Bobcat run was the first earned run that Fein had allowed all season.
Kean once again led the way for the FSU offense as he finished Game 2 going 2-for-3 at the plate. Freshman Zach Keeler scored the lone run for the Bobcats while McGuigan and Morris finished with a hit apiece.
Frostburg State will return to the field this Tuesday as it travels up Greensburg, Pa. for a meeting with former Bobcat assistant Anthony Williams and his Greensburg Bobcats. The single nine-inning game is slated to start at 3:00 pm. Hope everyone has a safe and happy Easter!
