FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State baseball team split the first two games of a four game set against West Liberty on Saturday afternoon, winning game one 7-5 before a 4-1 loss in game two.
 
The Hilltoppers had back-to-back two-out hits to knock in two runs for an early 2-0 lead in the first inning. The Bobcats looked to answer in the bottom of the first with the bases loaded and no outs but failed to capitalize on the opportunity after a pair of strikeouts and a flyout. West Liberty added two additional runs in the second for a quick 4-0 lead, as freshman Dean Wandell was brought on in relief to get the final out of the inning. In the bottom of the of the second, the FSU offense began to wake up, taking advantage of two Hilltopper errors that allowed senior Jack Lawrence to come around and score, making it a 4-1 ballgame.
 
Wandell settled in and threw scoreless third and fourth innings, allowing the Bobcats to put up some more offense and get back into the game. Junior Andrew Smith led of the fourth with a walk and was able to move third after a wild pitch, eventually coming around to score on an RBI from Lawrence. After Lawrence stole second and moved to third on a flyout, freshman Danny Estrada singled to center to bring him in and make the game 4-3.
 
With the game still in the balance, Wandell kept dealing, as he stretched the WLU scoreless streak to four innings and keeping Frostburg within striking distance. Estrada had the breakthrough hit, smacking a leadoff home run to right-center to tie things up at four runs apiece. Junior Trevor Jones then singled and was replaced by junior Arrone Dutton, who stole second and was driven in by a senior Bryce Jackson double down the right field line that gave FSU its first lead of the day. With the lead and momentum, junior Ethan Kiple capped off the inning with a two-run bomb to center to make the Bobcat lead 7-4.
 
The Hill Toppers attempted to mount a comeback in the seventh, scoring one run after loading the bases with one out, but freshman closer Jacob Stretch earned his eighth save of the season by striking out the final batter for the Frostburg win.

Wandell was brilliant on the mound, throwing 4.2 innings of two-hit ball, allowing one unearned run while striking out six for his third win of the season. Estrada led the offense with a 3-4 game at the plate with a pair of RBI, joining Kiple's two RBI and Jones' multi-hit game. 
 
In the second game, FSU started Kiple on the mound, as the game began as a pitcher's duel, with neither team scoring through the first three innings. West Liberty would finally break through in the fourth, picking up three runs on three hits and a couple sacrifice groundouts. 

Frostbug responded in the bottom of the fourth, as Stretch was able to get on base with two outs and steal second. Duda hit a single to center that would allow Stretch to cross the plate, making the score 3-1 WLU.

Freshman reliever Cale Huyer was effective in his 2.1 innnigs of work, keeping the deficit at two runs in a scoreless, three strikeout appearance. The Hilltoppers scratched an insurance run across in the top of the seventh on a sac fly for a 4-1 lead and were able to keep the Bobcat bats quiet the rest of the way for the eventual win. 

Jackson, Jones, and sophomore Aiden Duda all recorded multiple hits in the game, with Jackson's two hits putting him at 100 in his Frostburg career.
 
The split puts FSU at 27-9 on the year, while West Liberty is now 10-29. Both teams are back in action at Bob Wells Field tomorrow, April 24 for another doubleheader with first pitch scheduled for 1 PM. For more updates visit frostburgsports.com