GLENVILLE, W. Va. – The Frostburg State baseball team split its doubleheader on Saturday at Glenville State. The Bobcats took game one 4-1 before losing a late lead in game two, dropping it by a final of 4-3.
In game one, the Bobcats would crack the scoreboard in the top of the second inning. After junior Andrew Smith doubled with one out and advanced to third on a balk, an error by Pioneers shortstop Ryan Rodriguez allowed Smith to score to make it 1-0.
The Bobcats went back to work at the plate the very next inning. With the bases loaded and one out, junior Bryce Jackson drew a walk, scoring first-year Chase O'Dell to make the score 2-0. After a strikeout by first-year Justin Jimenez, Smith drove in a pair with a two-run single to right field to inflate Frostburg's lead to 4-0.
Senior Franco Velasquez got the start on the mound for the Bobcats, allowing just one run on four hits in 4 2/3 innings. That lone run came in the bottom of the fourth inning on a sacrifice fly to cut the Bobcat lead to 4-1.
First-year Nate Vermillion came on midway through the fifth inning, and pitched a scoreless 2 1/3 innings to earn the save and give the Bobcats a victory.
Solid pitching remained the theme in game two. With the game scoreless entering the top of the fourth, Jackson got the Bobcats on the board with a solo homer, his team-leading fourth of the year. In the bottom half of the inning, Glenville State's Duane England answered with a round-tripper of his own to tie the score 1-1.
The score would remain tied until the top of the eighth inning, as the Bobcats managed to take the lead in the extra frame. With the bases loaded and nobody out, sophomore Jack Lawrence singled to left field, scoring Jackson and junior Jack Maruskin to give the Bobcats a 3-1 lead. However, the Pioneers would fight back in the bottom of the eighth, drawing three bases loaded walks to eek out a 4-3 victory.
Frostburg is back on the diamond on Easter Sunday as they head to Athens, W. Va. to face Concord for a doubleheader beginning at 1 p.m. For more information, head to frostburgsports.com.