SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. – The Frostburg State Baseball team won in both dominant and comeback fashion to sweep Shepherd on the road Friday afternoon, taking both games by scores of 10-5 and 10-7.

Frostburg came right out of the gate to start game one, boarding their first two batters in junior Randy Steen, who walked, and freshman Jackson Schalick, who doubled, both who were to score on a three-run bomb to left from senior Ethan Kiple for a quick 3-0 Bobcat lead. Junior Jacob McDonald got the start on the bump for FSU, seeing three batters his first time around, recording one strikeout. Both teams were quiet on offense in the second and third innings, with no hits from either side, as Shepherd left one on base after a walk, and McDonald struck out three more batters as the score remained 3-0 heading into the fourth.

The Bobcats continued to look for a spark on offense since the first inning, as the Rams got one back in the bottom half of the fourth, knocking a homer to left for a 3-1 ballgame. Frostburg came to life in the top of the fifth, ripping five hits for four runs. Junior Cy Probst started off the inning with a double down the left field line, as he advanced to third on a sacrifice and scored on an RBI single from Steen, who proceeded to steal second and third, coming home to score on an RBI double from Kiple to bring the game to 5-1. With now Kiple and Schalick on base, the latter receiving a walk, junior Danny Estrada belted a homer over the right field fence to increase FSU's lead to 8-1 heading into the bottom of the fifth. McDonald gave up no hits, striking out two more, to leave the game at 8-1 in favor of Frostburg after five.

Freshman Ryan Bouma led off the sixth inning with a double to center field, being sent home to score on an RBI double from Probst to advance the game to 9-1. Shepherd was finally able to crack McDonald a little, knotting two hits in the bottom half of the inning, but he recorded two more strikeouts in the inning to strand the two runners on base. The Bobcats weren't done yet, tacking on another run in their last at-bats in the top of the seventh, as Estrada was walked and sent around to score on an RBI triple from junior Mikey Guy to allow the score to read 10-1. After Shepherd loaded the bases and walked in a run with no outs to start the ninth, graduate Ben Vok came in to limit the damage after himself giving a free base, getting a sac fly and strikeout to end the inning and the game 10-5. 

Both teams saw a quick first inning in game two, with SU recording their first hit of the contest, as senior Max Proctor got the nod from the mound for FSU. Bouma got on board in the top of the second with a walk, but was left on base, as the Rams got things rolling in the bottom half of the inning, scoring two runs to jump in front 2-0, as Proctor recorded two strikeouts. The Bobcats continued to struggle on offense in the third, still looking for their first hit of the game, as the Shepherd tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the inning to go ahead 4-0. Junior Patrick Bauer came into pitch, ending the inning with two strikeouts.

FSU came alive offensively in the fourth, as Estrada reached on a fielder's choice, stole second, and scored on an RBI single from Guy into center field. Guy then advanced to third, having reached second prior on the throw home, coming into score on an RBI single to right by junior Ben Wieman. The Bobcats left two runners on base but scored two runs on two hits as the score read 4-2 heading into the fifth.

Senior Justin Jimenez led off the fifth inning, reaching on an error by the Rams and getting to second base, followed by Steen walking and Shalick grounding into a fielder's choice to put runners on the corners. Coming up with another clutch extra base hit, Kiple knocked in a two-RBI double to right center that would tie the game at 4-4. Bauer kept Shepherd in line in the bottom of the fifth, facing three batters for two strikeouts.

Shepherd kept their bats hot, using a pair of walks, a single, and a double to plate three runs in the bottom half of the sixth, regaining the lead at 7-4. The Bobcats got one run back in the top of the seventh, as Jimenez was walked to start the inning, advanced to second on a single from Steen, and came home to score on an RBI single from Kiple. Junior Nate Vermillion came into pitch in the bottom of the frame, striking out the first three batters he faced, keeping the score at 7-5 in favor of the Rams.

SU recorded the lone hit for either team in the eighth, as Vermillion was able to strand the runner on base. In now their last chance at-bats, Jimenez reached base on a Shepherd error, advancing to second on another single from Steen, and coming home to score, once again on an RBI single from Kiple. To tie things up at seven, Estrada singled through the left side, bringing Steen home. The Bobcat's weren't done, as Bouma smacked a two-run double to left center, allowing FSU to take the 9-7 lead. Wieman got in on the action in the ninth, ripping an RBI single to center field, scoring Bouma, as Frostburg went into the bottom of the ninth with a 10-7 lead. Vermillion gave up two hits, but struck out three batters to leave the two runners on base, allowing the Bobcats to secure the 10-7 comeback victory in game two.

Kiple led the way on offense recording five hits, three runs, and eight RBI on the day. Steen was right behind with three hits, three runs, and one RBI, while five other Bobcats recorded a pair of hits. McDonald was credited with the win in game one, his second of the season, throwing six innings giving up three hits, one walk, one run, and striking out 10. Vermillion earned the win in game two, also his second of the season, while giving up three hits in three innings and striking out six. Proctor, Bauer, Ray, and Vermillion combined for 15 total strikeouts in game two.

With the sweep, FSU improves to 7-5 on the season, while Shepherd drops to 5-7. Due to expected weather in the area, Sunday's originally scheduled contest between the two teams has been postponed, with talks ongoing on a reschedule date. Information and updates on the game will be posted to frostburgsports.com.