MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The Frostburg State baseball team swept West Liberty on Friday, winning 5-1 and 11-0, to extend its winning streak to 14 games.

Sophomore Zach Dodson got the start in game one, instantly striking out the first two Hilltopper batters before getting the last man to ground out to short. The Bobcats' offense wasted no time in giving Dodson some room to work with, as junior Brian Scott led off with a homer for the first of his collegiate career, while senior Jake Holler followed with one of his own over the left field fence, giving FSU an early 2-0 lead.

After a scoreless second inning and a half, with Dodson getting WLU's batters 1-2-3 on both their trips to the plate, Frostburg's offense added on in the bottom of the third. Scott led off with an infield single, as freshman Tanner Cunningham walked before junior Jackson Schalick lined one up the middle to score Scott. Freshman Drew Jourdan then laid down a beautiful sac bunt to the right side, bringing Cunninham in to score before junior Logan Helser followed with a single through the 5-6 hole, bringing in the Bobcats' fifth run as Schalick crossed the plate for a 5-0 advantage.

In the top of the fourth, Dodson worked out of a bit of a two-out jam after a walk and a single, getting the last batter to ground one to redshirt sophomore CJ Carmichael at short. Another two scoreless innings passed despite both sides getting runners on before sophomore Mac Crismond came in for relief of Dodson, working through some traffic on the basepaths, as three singles brought in a West Liberty run before the Olney native got the last batter to pop up to third for the 5-1 win. 

Scott and Helser led the offense with a pair of hits each while also driving in an RBI, as Schalick, Holler, and Jourdan each scored a run. Dodson earned the win with six innings of work, only allowing four hits and no runs while striking out six.

To start game two against the Hilltoppers, Frostburg sent out junior John Smith to toe the rubber, working easily through the first three batters via a groundout and a couple of K's. In the bottom of the first, Schalick worked a two-out walk, advancing all the way to third from a wild pitch and a passed ball, however he would be left stranded. The second inning went by quickly for both offenses despite Carmichael knocking a single to center and stealing second before WLU threatened after a single and a double, but Smith was able to work out of the inning with a swinging strike. 

The bottom of the third was when the Bobcats' offense finally broke through, as junior Johnny Antonelli led off with a walk, then Scott reached on an error before a Cunningham bunt single led to a throwing error, which allowed Antonelli to score. Schalick followed with a scorching double down the left field line, bringing home both Cunningham and Scott before back-to-back hit by pitches to Holler, and Jourdan loaded the bases, allowing for a walk from Carmichael to bring around Schalick for a 4-0 lead. 

With some cushion, Smith continued to deal on the mound, working through a one-out walk before FSU was able to produce some more insurance in the sixth. Scott led off the inning by getting hit before a Cunningham sac bunt moved him to second, then three straight walks to Holler, Jourdan, and Helser brought two more runs in. On a 2-0 count, Carmichael lined one into the right center gap to clear the bases and moved up to third himself on the throw, ballooning Frostburg's lead to 9-0. 

Smith set down the Hilltoppers in order in both the fifth and sixth frames before the Bobcats would add a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. Coming into pinch hit, freshman Will Mollman started things with a single before sophomore Zane Bohn tripled down the right field line, bringing Mollman across the plate, then sophomore Manny Hall lasered a single to right field, scoring Bohn for FSU's eleventh run. Entrusted to get the last three outs, Frostburg sent junior Branden Brown to slam the door, getting the first two batters to ground out, including one that he snagged himself on the mound before working out of a little two out jam after a walk and WLU batter reached on error, as he got the third out via a strikeout, giving the Bobcats the 11-0 win.

Carmichael led the offense in game two with two hits and four RBI, as Schalick knocked in a pair of runs himself on a hit and two walks. Smith earned his fourth win of the season, only surrendering two hits while striking out six across six innings.

With the win, FSU improves to 22-6 as West Liberty falls to 9-15 on the year. The Bobcats will next return to host at Bob Wells Field on Saturday, April 4, to continue their series against the Hilltoppers in a doubleheader starting at 1 PM. For more information, please visit frostburgsports.com.