BLUEFIELD, W.Va. – The Frostburg State Baseball team swept their first day of competition with Bluefield State, taking down the Big Blue by scores of 13-1 and 6-2 on Saturday.
Frostburg saw first at-bats, going 1-2-3 in the top of the first, with sophomore Jack Ray taking the mound to start the game, securing a pair of strikeouts to end the inning leaving two on for Bluefield. Senior Doyle McNew became the first baserunner of the day for FSU, reaching on an error by Bluefield's shortstop. Sophomore Ryan Bouma then walked, putting two Bobcats on, as redshirt junior Ben Wieman then made his way to the plate, belting a three-run bomb for a 3-0 Frostburg lead. Ray got out of the inning with a double play, keeping FSU in the lead after two.
Redshirt freshman CJ Carmichael scored on an RBI double to center from graduate Randy Steen to start the third, moving the Bobcats edge to 4-0. Ray again saw a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom half of the third, leading FSU to tally five runs in the fourth. Junior Kody Abrisz knotted an infield single to get on with two outs in the top of the fourth, as freshman Manny Hall knocked him in with an RBI single to right. Sophomore Jackson Schalick and Carmichael drew back-to-back walks for the Bobcats to load the bases, as senior Mikey Guy was given a two-RBI single to center, bringing the game to 7-0. As the bases were loaded once again for Frostburg, McNew and Bouma were both given a free base, allowing two more runs to come in for FSU for 9-0 score.
Ray left two on in the bottom half of the fourth, before the Bobcats were given two more runs after two big walks from Bluefield to start the fifth. Redshirt freshman Liam Bowen came in to pitch in the bottom of the inning, getting out of a bases loaded jam. Steen singled to start the sixth, with sophomore Brian Scott coming in to pinch run. Scott moved to second and third both on passed balls, finding home plate for a 12-0 lead off an RBI from senior Christian Shertzer.
Redshirt freshman Cody Sharman took over in the bottom of the sixth, getting out of another bases loaded jam for Frostburg. Junior Jake Holler sent one over the fence to leadoff the seventh, tallying one more run for the Bobcats in game one, as freshman Hunter Layhew finished out the seventh on the mound for the Bobcats, recording three strikeouts but giving up one run, as Frostburg took game 13-1.
Schalick was given first base to start game two, advancing to third after a single to the outfield from Carmichael. Guy was credited with a sacrifice fly, scoring Schalick from third to put Frostburg on top 1-0 early on. Freshman Zach Dodson got the nod from the bump in game two, getting three quick outs in his first look from the mound. Both teams saw a quiet second and third inning from the plate, with sophomore Logan Helser picking up a hit for the Bobcats, and Dodson seeing another 1-2-3 outing in the second.
Bouma reached base in the top of the fourth off an error from the Big Blue, also advancing to second. Bouma then came around to score on another error from Bluefield, after Abrisz was credited with a single, also advancing a base on the same error. Abrisz came around to score then on an RBI single from Schalick, seeing FSU in front 3-0.
Dodson recorded two big strikeouts to wrap up the fourth, as Guy and Steen led off the fifth with a double and single. Bouma then tallied a sacrifice fly to right, allowing Guy to cross home plate. Steen stole second and third, also coming home on another sacrifice fly, this time from Bouma, moving the score to 5-0. Dodson gave up a single to start things in the bottom half of the fifth but recorded three straight outs to move the game into the sixth.
Scott was credited with a single to begin the sixth, being left stranded, as sophomore Bryce Hendricks left the bases loaded for the Big Blue in the top of the inning. McNew and Helser were each given a base in the top half of the seventh, as Scott and Schalick were also walked, helping add one more run to FSU's lead. Senior Ryan Adams and graduate Dan Morgano combined on the mound to finish out the game in the bottom of the seventh, as Bluefield picked up two runs to conclude the game at 6-2.
Steen led Frostburg on offense, racking up four hits on the day, along with one RBI and one run. Carmichael, Guy, and Abrisz each saw a pair of hits, while Guy tallied three RBI. Ray picked up the win in game one, throwing four innings, giving up four hits, and striking out two, while Dodson was given the win in game two, throwing five innings giving up five hits, no runs, no walks, and striking out four. The Bobcats pitching staff combined for 12 total strikeouts across two games.
With the win, Frostburg improves to 4-2 on the early season, while Bluefield State drops to 0-12. The Bobcats return to action tomorrow, March 2 for day two of their action with the Big Blue, with the first pitch of game one set for 12 PM. For more information and updates, please visit frostburgsports.com.
