CLEVELAND, Tenn. – The Frostburg State Baseball team dropped the last two games of the series to Lee University, loosing by scores of 12-4 and 6-1 on Saturday afternoon.
Lee got on the board early scoring three runs in the bottom of the first off a double to left field that would clear the bases for the Flames. Frostburg responded back in the top of the second making the score 3-2 as sophomore Randy Steen got hit by a pitch and stole second to bring up a two-run bomb over the left field fence by sophomore Cy Probst. The Bobcats kept their offensive momentum going in the top of second, as junior Stafford Allison and sophomore Christian Shertzer hit back-to-back to singles, allowing Allison to score from third on a groundout by sophomore Danny Estrada, tying the game at three apiece.
Senior Jack Maruskin stuck out two in the bottom of the second, keeping the game tied at three. The Flames got their momentum back, scoring four runs in the third, and one run in the fourth to jump out to a 8-3 lead. FSU struggled to get anything going in their next at-bats, as Lee added to their lead in the bottom of the fifth to make the score 10-3.
Freshman Joe Pippin came into pitch in the sixth inning, striking out two and keeping Lee scoreless in the bottom of the sixth. The Flames found their offensive momentum once again, adding two more runs to their lead in the bottom of the seventh. The Bobcats showed some fight in the top of the eighth as junior Ethan Kiple smacked a ball over the right field fence, bringing the game to 12-4. Both teams stayed scoreless in the bottom of the eighth and top of the ninth, causing FSU to drop the first game 12-4.
Junior Max Proctor got the start on the mound in the second game, keeping the Flames scoreless in the first inning. The Bobcats couldn't get anything going in the first either, as Lee quickly jumped out to a 4-0 in their next at-bats. Frostburg struggled to get anything going on offense, but senior AJ Campbell came into pitch in the bottom of third, getting a much needed quick three outs for the Bobcats. FSU took that momentum into their offense in the top of the fourth, getting one run back as Kiple singled and was sent around to score after a wild pitch, an error made by the Flames, and a passed ball. Lee quickly responded in the bottom of the inning, getting two runs back, building their lead to 6-1.
Frostburg was able to get a trio of hits to finish out the game, but couldn't get anything going, stranding those three runners. The pitching duo of Campbell and senior Ben Vok kept the Flames scoreless the rest of the way, allowing the game to end with a final score of 6-1, in favor of Lee.
Kiple led the way for FSU finishing with three hits, two runs, and one RBI on the day. Allison was next in line with two hits and one run, as six other Bobcats each recorded a hit. Despite the losses, Frostburg pitching combined for 14 strikeouts.
With the losses, Frostburg now falls to 7-6 on the season and Lee improves to 13-10. The Bobcats will stay on the road to face Concord in a doubleheader on Saturday, March 18 with the first game set to begin at 1 PM. For more information and updates, please visit frostburgsports.com
