FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Baseball split their doubleheader against Salem (WV) Sunday afternoon, falling 5-4 in game one and coming out of game two with a 6-2 victory while celebrating Youth Day. 

The first inning went by fairly quickly for both sides as starter Ty Morris worked out of a two-out double, and things went the same way in the second as he generated two grounders and a flyball. In the bottom of the frame, sophomore Zane Bohn got the Bobcats' first hit, as classmate Sam Atkinson followed with one of his own before redshirt sophomore CJ Carmichael worked a four-pitch walk to load the bases, however SU was able to work out of the jam with a fly ball. After a 1-2-3 inning from Morris, FSU threatened again as sophomore Manny Hall led off the third with a hit by pitch, then freshman Drew Jourdan singled up the middle to put runners on the corners, but once again, the Tigers was able to get out of the inning without any runs coming across. 

Salem found success in the fourth inning, as four straight hits led to two runs before another double extended the lead by two. The Tigers' fifth and final run of the frame came through a single to put the visitors up 5-0. With the momentum on their side, SU was able to set the Frostburg batters down 1-2-3. The fifth went by scoreless for both offenses despite a double from junior Jackson Schalick, as sophomore Kam Sowers put the Tigers' batters down in the top of the sixth.

In the bottom of the frame, the Bobcats were finally able to push some runs across, as Jourdan led things off with a walk before Salem got two quick outs, but a freshman Landon Marple single kept things going. Junior Logan Helser followed with a walk to load the bases, as another free base issued to freshman Tanner Cunningham brought Frostburg's first run of the game before Hall followed with a laser to right field to clear the bases and lower the deficit to one run. Looking to keep the score exactly where it was, Sowers came back out and set SU's batters down 1-2-3 with two grounders and a flyout. In their last at-bats, the Bobcats weren't able to get anything going, as the Tigers retired the side to secure the 5-4 win.

Hall led the offense in game one with his double that brought in three runs while also working a walk. Out of the bullpen, Sowers pitched 3.2 innings, only allowing two baserunners while striking out four.

FSU sent out junior John Smith to start game two, as he kept Salem off the board while working through a one-out double in the opening frame. In the bottom of the first, Fostburg recorded a hit of their own from Hall, but nothing came as SU got the last batter to fly out. Redshirt sophomore Cody Sharman came out of the bullpen in the second and was able to set down the side in order with a ground out, a fly ball, and a looking K. 

Marple got the bottom of the second started as he launched a double to left before advancing to third on a wild pitch, then to home on a passed ball as Helser worked a walk. After Bohn reached on a fielder's choice, freshman Mason Kelleher lined a single to left for the first hit of his collegiate career before Cunningham sent one to right, bringing Bohn across the plate and giving Frostburg a 2-0 lead. After Sharman set the Tigers down 1-2-3 once more, the Bobcats added another pair of runs as back-to-back singles to senior Jake Holler and Jourdan, followed by a walk to Helser to load the bases, which allowed for a double to right center from Bohn to plate two more, bringing FSU's lead to 4-0.

In the fourth, Salem broke into the score column thanks to a one-out homer from Reese Rinna, as sophomore Hunter Layhew came in to toe the rubber, and despite plunking two batters, he got the last two outs, limiting SU to just one run in the inning. After another set of scoreless play from both sides, with junior Joey Serafin coming in to pitch in the fifth, Frostburg plated another run as Marple singled, then came all the way around to score on a Helser triple to make the score 5-1. In the sixth, the Tigers brought in another run via a sac fly before the Bobcats immediately responded with a sixth run, as Cunningham was hit by a pitch, stole second, advanced to third on a Schalick fly ball, then came in to score to make it a 6-2 game. Entrusted to get the final three outs, Serafin came back in, working through Salem's batters easily with a ground out and a fly out before catching the last batter looking to secure the four-run victory.  

Marple recorded two hits as Bohn drove in a pair, with Cunningham and Helser each adding a run to the board. Smith went one inning, only allowing one hit, as Sharman got the win, going 2.1 innings, allowing just one run on a hit. Layhew pitched 0.2 innings before Serafin came out of the bullpen to close things out, throwing three complete innings, only allowing one run on two hits to earn the save. 

With the split, Frostburg's record moves to 29-16 as Salem's goes to 29-15 on the year. The Bobcats are back on the road Tuesday, April 28, as they head to EQT Park to face California (Pa) at 3 PM. For more information, please visit frostburgsport.com.