FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State baseball team split its doubleheader with West Virginia State on Monday afternoon. The Bobcats won game one by a score of 6-4 before dropping game two 11-1.
First-year James Stefanowicz got the start on the mound in game one and worked his way out of an early jam. He allowed a single and a walk to put runners at first and second with one out, but managed to get a fielder's choice and a pop out to end the threat.
Frostburg would put three on the board in the bottom half of the inning, the first of which came across after an RBI single from junior Josh Netterville. Junior Andrew Smith followed that up with an RBI single of his own to make it 2-0. Senior Mitch Fyffe would then hit a sacrifice fly to shallow right field, in which first-year Justin Jimenez tagged up and scored to make it a 3-0 game.
The Yellow Jackets would answer back with four in the top of the second inning. A double from Austin Martin plated the first run of the inning, and another run would cross the plate on a throwing error from junior Nick Benitez at second base. After a single from Brett Christian tied the game, Matthew Kline hit into a double play that brought home a run to give West Virginia State a 4-3 lead.
The Bobcats would answer right back in the bottom half of the second. With two outs and a runner at first base, junior Bryce Jackson launched a home run over the right field fence to give FSU a 5-4 lead. The homer was Jackson's third of the season.
From that point on, the pitching of Frostburg took over. Stefanowicz would only allow two more batters to reach base before his day concluded after six innings. The righty picked up his first career win, striking out four and allowing two earned runs.
Frostburg would add an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth. With first-year Dhaine Blair at third base and one out in the inning, Benitez laid down a bunt to try and execute a safety squeeze. Yellow Jacket pitcher Andrew Stone charged to the ball and flipped it to the catcher, but Blair slid under the tag to give the Bobcats a 6-4 lead. First-year Nate Vermillion would earn the save by notching a 1-2-3 seventh inning to secure the win.
West Virginia State got off to a hot start in game two, batting around and scoring nine runs in the first inning. First-year Nicholas Botsaris came on in relief to end the first inning and had himself a good outing overall. Botsaris pitched 2 1/3 innings, allowing just one hit and no runs.
The lone run in the game for the Bobcats came in the bottom of the fifth inning. After first-year Nick Trey walked to begin the inning, Benitez singled and a throwing error allowed both runners to advance into scoring position. First-year Chase O'Dell hit a sacrifice fly to center field, allowing Trey to score to make it 11-1.
The Bobcats hit the road this weekend, as they head to Athens, W. Va. for a doubleheader against Concord on Friday at 1 p.m. For more information, visit frostburgsports.com.
