FROSTBURG, Md. - The Frostburg State Baseball team completed a huge ninth inning comeback against Clarion at home on Wednesday afternoon, scoring four in the final frame for an 8-7 win.
The Golden Eagles started the game on the front foot, scraping across a pair of runs for a 2-0 lead in the top of the first. In the bottom half of the inning, freshman Jacob Stretch drew a walk, then stole second and advanced to third on a groundout, eventually being brought home on a double by junior Ethan Kiple.
After a pair of walks to start the third inning, Kiple gave FSU the lead with one swing of the bat, powering a three-run home run out to left for a 4-2 Bobcat lead. Clarion responded in the next half inning, using three singles and a pair of walks to re-take the lead at 6-4.
From that point, Frostburg's offense struggled against the Golden Eagle pitching staff, as they didn't manage a hit until the eighth inning, when they threatened to get back into the game, down 7-4 after a Clarion run in the top of the seventh. The eighth started with a single from sophomore pinch-hitter Stafford Allison, then senior Bryce Jackson reached on an error and Kiple singled to load the bases with just one out. Clarion worked their way out of the jam, however, getting a strikeout and a groundout to end the threat and get within one inning of securing the win.
In the top of the ninth, the Golden Eagles thought they would add to their lead, as they put men at second and third with just one out, but redshirt-sophomore Ben Vok stood firm and got a pair of strikeouts to pave the way for some Bobcat magic in the bottom of the ninth.
Freshman Christian Shertzer began the rally with a walk and was brought home immediately on a rocket double down the line from junior Trevor Jones to make the score 7-5. After a strikeout, freshman Danny Estrada advanced Jones to third with a clutch single through the left side on an 0-2 pitch. Stretch then ripped the first pitch he saw into right field to score Jones and bring FSU within one at 7-6. A passed ball allowed Estrada and Stretch to advance to third and second, respectively, paving the way for Jackson's heroics, as he bounced a ball over the drawn-in infield to bring home both runners and complete the comeback, 8-7.
Kiple led the offense with a 3-4 day at the plate with four RBI, with Jackson, Stretch, and Jones providing the rest of the run support. The Bobcat bullpen was stellar over the final three innings, as freshman Ben Wieman combined with Vok to allow just one unearned run on two hits with three strikeouts, as Vok earned his first win of the year.
With the win, Frostburg improves to 17-4 on the year, while Clarion falls to 4-15. FSU continues its homestand at Bob Wells Field on Saturday, April 2 against Concord, with a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. For information and updates stay tuned at frostburgsports.com.
