FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Baseball team swept their Mountain East Conference and home opener, defeating Concord on Saturday afternoon by final scores of 12-5 and 11-0.

Junior Jacob McDonald got the start on the bump for Frostburg in game one, setting down CU's opening three batters his first time out. The Bobcats wasted no time to get their offense going, scoring two runs to get on the board first. Senior Ethan Kiple was the first runner to reach base for FSU, having been hit by a pitch and sent home to score on an RBI double to right field by junior Danny Estrada. Estrada then crossed home plate on an RBI single from junior Mikey Guy, allowing Frostburg to lead 2-0 after the first.

McDonald saw just three batters once more in the second, picking up his first strikeout of the day. Senior Lucas Gulczynski got on base in the bottom half of the second with a single, stealing second, and coming around to score on an RBI single from Kiple for a 3-0 FSU lead. McDonald gave up two hits from Concord in the top of the third but stranded both on base. The Bobcats tacked on two more runs to their lead in the bottom half of the inning, as Guy ripped a leadoff single to center field, advancing to third on a double from freshman Ryan Bouma, as both runners crossed home plate on a two-RBI double from junior Cy Probst to have the score at 5-0. McDonald was able to get out of a jam in the top of the fifth, leaving three Mountain Lions on base to keep Frostburg in the lead.

Freshman Jackson Schalick singled to shortstop to start off the bottom of the fourth, advancing to third on a double to left by Kiple. Both runners advanced a base on a wild pitch, allowing Schalick to race home. Estrada proceeded to reach base on an error by Concord, as Kiple crossed the plate. Guy then proceeded to single to center field, advancing Estrada to third, then scoring on an RBI double to right from Bouma to see the score at 8-0. Frostburg wasn't done yet, as Probst recorded a sacrifice fly, scoring Guy from third, as Bouma was also able to come home on a passed ball, allowing the score to read 10-0 after four.

Both teams were quiet in the fifth, before the Mountain Lions offense erupted for five runs, finally getting to McDonald and the Bobcat bullpen, to cut their deficit in half in the top of the sixth. Frostburg pushed for two more runs in their offensive half of the inning, with Guy drawing a walk to start things off, and came around to score on a two-run bomb from Bouma, advancing the Bobcat lead to 12-5. Having come on late in the sixth, graduate Ben Vok stranded two Mountain Lions on base in the seventh, sealing the 12-5 victory in game one for FSU.

Junior Patrick Bauer saw the start from the mound in game two, earning two strikeouts in his first time out. Frostburg kept their offensive momentum from game one, as junior Randy Steen
doubled to left to start things off. Steen then advanced to third on an error by Concord, coming home to score as Kiple grounded out but got the run home. With two outs, Estrada was hit by a pitch, advanced to second on a passed ball, and brought the game to 2-0 off an RBI single from Guy. After Bauer kept the Mountain Lions scoreless in the top of the second, the Bobcats went for six runs and five hits in their look at offense in the frame. Senior Justin Jimenez started things off for FSU with a single to left, coming around to score on a two-RBI double from Steen. Steen then advanced to third on a fielder's choice, being brought home on an RBI single to right from Estrada. Guy then roped a single to left for a 6-0 ballgame, as Estrada scored on a passed ball, and Guy came in to score on an RBI single from Bouma to bring the game to 8-0 after two innings.

Bauer continued to dominate from the mound in the third, as Frostburg continued their hot streak on offense, with Jimenez knotting another single, taking second on the throw, stealing third, and scoring on a wild pitch to advance the score to 9-0. Bauer saw a quick three batters in the top half of the fourth, before recording three strikeouts in the top of the fifth. The Bobcats saw a quiet offensive outing in the fourth and fifth inning, as sophomore Will Ricketts relieved Bauer in the sixth to close the inning.

FSU tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the sixth, with Kiple ripping a two-run homer over center field to increase Frostburg's lead to 11-0. Sophomore Bryce Snyder came in to seal the deal in the top of the seventh, seeing four batters and leaving one on base, as the Bobcats took the 11-0 shutout in game two.

Kiple and Guy led the way on offense, connecting on five hits each, combining for eight runs and six RBI. Bouma was right behind with four hits, four RBI and three runs, while Steen contributed three hits, two runs, and two RBI. McDonald earned his third win of the season, going 5.1 innings in game one with two strikeouts, as Bauer picked up his second win of the season throwing 5.1 innings, giving up four hits, zero runs, and striking out six. Vok was credited with three strikeouts in game one in 1.1 innings pitched.

With the sweep, Frostburg improves to 9-5 on the season, while Concord drops to 7-7. The Bobcats are back at Bob Wells Field on Sunday, March 17 for another MEC doubleheader, welcoming in Glenville State at 1 PM. For more information and updates, please visit frostburgsports.com.