CRESAPTOWN, Md. – The Frostburg State Baseball team secured a doubleheader sweep of Glenville State on Sunday, winning by scores of 4-3 and 15-4.
 
Sophomore Hunter Layhew took the mound to start game one, as the first batter he faced bunted on and stole second to get into scoring position. He wouldn't advance any further, however, with Layhew getting a pair of strikeouts either side of a fly ball to left. FSU then threatened in the bottom half of the frame, using some two-out magic with an error and back-to-back walks loading the bases, but a groundball to third cleared the threat. After Layhew worked a 1-2-3 second, the Bobcats left another pair of runners on following a walk and single with a groundout.
 
GSU had their offense going again in the top of the third, getting a one-out double, a walk, and a wild pitch to put a pair of runners in scoring position, but Layhew ensured neither crossed the plate on a grounder to third. Frostburg led off the bottom half with junior Jackson Schalick drawing a walk before stealing second, as a strikeout and fly out appeared as though they would keep the shutout going. Junior Ryan Bouma had other ideas, lining a single into left to plate Schalick, while a Pioneer error followed by an RBI double from sophomore Sam Atkinson put FSU up 3-0.
 
Layhew settled into his groove through the next three innings, recording nine consecutive outs, three of them being on strikes to keep Glenville off the board. Offensively, the Bobcats were unable to add onto the advantage, as the only runners came on a pair of singles by Atkinson and junior Logan Helser. Looking to stay alive in the top of the seventh, GSU put a run on with an error followed by a single up the middle to bring the tying run to the plate. With one swing, that's exactly what the batter did, bringing things to 3-3.
 
Still with a chance to walk things off, Schalick roped a ball into left, where an awkward bounce past the fielder and allowed him to get up to second. Senior Jake Holler stepped in and drove a ball just past the diving shortstop, with Schalick rounding third and sealing the walk-off 4-3 win.
 
Atkinson was the only player for either side to record a multi-hit game, while Schalick, Holler, and Helser all had a knock and a walk. Layhew was excellent through six shutout innings of work, allowing just two hits while striking out six batters.
 
Taking the mound in game two, sophomore Kamden Sowers sat the Pioneers down in order, while Frostburg drew three walks but were unable to capitalize to end the first inning. Sowers got out of trouble in the second, having allowed a one-out single and walk, getting a pair of strikeouts to end the threat. Bouma was walked to lead off the bottom half, while sophomore Manny Hall pulled a single into right, but a fly ball to center again kept things scoreless.
 
Glenville took their first lead of the day in the third, leading off with a double, bunt single, and stolen base to have two in scoring position. Following a swinging strikeout, a sac fly to center put the first run on the board, but a great catch by Helser at first prevented further damage. Another base on balls to start FSU's at-bats was followed by an infield single from Holler to put runners at the corners. With a strikeout threatening to close another frame, Bouma picked a great time to hit his first homer of the year, belting a ball way over the left field fence to put the Bobcats up 3-1.
 
In the top of the fourth, Sowers worked out of a lead-off infield single with three consecutive outs on strikes to get the Frostburg bats back to the plate. Hall drew a one-out walk before freshman Drew Jourdan reached on an error, then Scott singled into right and the throw home went way over the catcher's head, allowing Hall to score. Holler and Helser then hit a pair of clutch two-out singles, plating three total runs and bringing the lead to 7-1.
 
The Pioneers were able to scrape across a run in the fifth, using a pair of walks and a double steal to score on an RBI groundout, with Sowers preventing any more offense through a pick-off and another K. FSU provided more run support in the bottom half, as redshirt sophomore CJ Carmichael doubled, Atkinson singled, and Hall drew a walk to load the bases. Jourdan brought Carmichael home on a sac fly to center, then after Scott walked, Schalick did the same for Aktinson and Holler put a double on the board for a 10-2 advantage.
 
Glenville showed some life in the top of the sixth, getting a pair of doubles followed by an error at short to plate two runs and get the deficit down to six. The Bobcats ended any hopes of a comeback in the bottom of the frame, putting five more on the board. Carmichael led off with a single into left, then Atkinson and Hall were both walked. A fielder's choice was followed by Scott getting an RBI on free bases, then Schalick and Helser each lined two-RBI doubles as the lead stood at 15-4. Having come on to close out the sixth, junior Branden Brown worked a pair of strikeouts and cleanly fielded a bunt attempt to conclude the 11-run victory.
 
Holler, Helser, and Carmichael led the offense, combining for seven hits and six RBI, while Schlaick and Bouma contributed three RBI apiece as well. Sowers threw four innings, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out seven.
 
With the sweep, Frostburg improves to 11-6 on the year, while Glenville drops to 12-8. FSU will return to action Saturday, March 21 on the road against Charleston (WV) with a doubleheader set to begin at 1 p.m. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.