FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State baseball team lost their first game of the season at Bob Wells Field on Wednesday afternoon by the score of 18-5 against Marietta.
The Bobcats record falls to 11-9, while the Pioneers now stand at 8-11 on the season.
Marietta scored the game's opening salvo in the top of the first inning, as senior Mike Hale drove in a run on a sacrifice fly. The Bobcats answered with a run of their own in the home half of the opening inning, after a single to left field off the bat of junior Mitch Fyffe scored sophomore Bret Fogle to tie the game at one.
The Pioneers broke away in the second inning, scoring four runs to take a 5-1 lead. Leadoff man Jared Weiss highlighted the inning with a RBI double to centerfield, scoring Seamus Kenneally.
Bobcat senior Daniel Ryczek stopped the Pioneer run, tossing 4.0 innings, allowing just one earned run on two hits and striking out six to keep the Bobcats within striking distance.
The Bobcats scored two in the fourth inning, bringing their deficit to two runs, but the Pioneers struck for two runs of their own in the top of the sixth, making the score 7-3. Fogle singled home junior Quin Ambeault in the home half of the frame, cutting the Marietta lead to three runs.
The Pioneers offense exploded in the final three innings of the game, as it scored 11 of the game's final 12 runs in the seventh inning and later. Bobcat senior Jason Paredes clubbed a solo home run in the home half of the seventh, but that would be the final tally the Frostburg bats could muster, as the Pioneers cruised to an 18-5 victory.
Offensively, Marietta was led by both Damien Yenzi and Mike Hale, who each drove in four runs. Yenzi went 4-for-4 with two doubles, while Hale hit his team-leading third homer of the year. Pioneer pitching struck out 12 Bobcats in the win.
The Bobcats were led by Fogle and Fyffe offensively, as each had two hits and a RBI on their ledger. Paredes' homer was his sixth on the season. The Bobcats defense committed seven errors in the defeat.
Frostburg will look to bounce back on Saturday, as it takes on Capital Athletic Conference opponent Mary Washington in a doubleheader. Originally the twin-bill was scheduled to be played at Bob Wells Field, but due to impending weather, the series has been moved to UMW's campus. Game one is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. For up-to-date information, or to follow along with live stats during games, visit frostburgsports.com.
