FROSTBURG, Md. – The 13
th-ranked Frostburg State baseball team smacked back-to-back home runs to centerfield in the seventh inning that completed a 9-7 come-from-behind win over seventh-ranked Shenandoah, Thursday.
The Bobcats improve to 20-8 overall on the season behind their fourth win over a ranked opponent this year. The win over the Hornets (25-7) also marks the second victory over a top-10 team this spring.
Shenandoah rallied in the top of the sixth inning with six runs behind four hits. Jake Loew opened the inning with a homer to right center, while Joe Coleman and Abel Arocho each produced two-run singles. The outburst put the visitors in front, 7-4.
The Bobcats chipped away at the lead with a single run in the bottom of the sixth when senior Jamaal Windom singled to right that allowed senior Jeremy Remalia to cross the plate.
However, Frostburg's rally was complete with a four-run seventh inning. Senior KJ Hockaday led off the frame with a triple to center and he scored when senior Zach Keeler singled up the middle.
After a change in pitchers for the Hornets, senior Connor Cooper crunched a pitch over the center field fence for a two-run home run and an 8-7 lead. Remalia made it back-to-back homers for the Bobcats when he also crushed a ball over the center field fence for a 9-7 lead.
That was more than enough of a cushion for Bobcat closer Nick Huff, as he registered his sixth save of the season after striking out two and allowing three hits.
Junior Jake Stephens picked up his second win on the mound for FSU after allowing just two hits in 1.1 innings of work.
Junior Brad Garrant finished 2-for-4 with three RBI, while Cooper was 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored. Senior Pat Sines was 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI as Hockaday finished 2-for-4 with two runs.
Frostburg grabbed an early lead after scoring four runs over the first two innings. Sines singled to center for Frostburg's first hit, advanced to second when Hockaday walked and scored when Garrant singled for a 1-0, first-inning lead.
In the second, Windom singled to lead off the frame, stole second and scored on a Sines single to center. Hockaday then doubled down the left field line, advancing Sines to third before Garrant plated both of them on a single down the left field line.
Frostburg travels to St. Mary's for a CAC doubleheader on Saturday that wraps up conference play for both schools. The twinbill starts at noon.