FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Baseball team won both games of their doubleheader against West Liberty, 10-3 and 6-3, extending their win streak to 16 games.
To start game one, the Bobcats sent out sophomore Hunter Layhew, who found quick trouble as the first runner reached on an error before getting the next two batters out on a pop up and swinging strike. WLU was able to keep the inning alive, lining a triple to center and a single into left to plate a pair of runs for an early lead. Leading things off in the bottom half, junior Ryan Bouma walked before classmate Jackson Schalick put one into center, executing a great hit and run that sent Bouma to third. After Schalick stole second, he and Bouma scored on a senior Jake Holler double to quickly even the score at 2-2.
In the top of the second, Layhew found his groove, as he retired the West Liberty batters 1-2-3 and got the last two via strikeouts. FSU added some two-out magic in the bottom of the frame, as sophomore Manny Hall singled up the middle before stealing second and third, as a Hilltopper error was able to bring him home and give Frostburg a 3-2 lead. The third inning went quietly for both offenses despite freshmen Drew Jourdan and Will Mollman finding their way on base for FSU. Another quick inning passed for West Liberty before the Bobcat offense was able to add a little insurance for Layhew. Bouma rocketed a two-out double to left, then freshman Tanner Cunningham followed with a single to score Bouma before crossing the plate himself when Schalick doubled to right for a 5-2 FSU advantage.
In the top of the fifth, Layhew took care of things once again, getting the first two batters with swinging Ks before fielding a come-backer for the third out. The bottom of the inning started when Jourdan was hit by a pitch, followed by Mollman lining a single to right and redshirt sophomore CJ Carmichael tripled down the right field line to score both. Carmichael then came home on an RBI knock up the middle from Hall, bringing Frostburg's lead to six.
Continuing to deal, Layhew set WLU down without a baserunner for his his fifth perfect inning in a row. The Bobcats' offense added another two runs in the bottom of the sixth, as Schalick led things off with a single before stealing second and third, then scoring on a Jourdan double. A West Liberty failed pick-off attempt went into the outfield, which allowed him to get to third before coming across the plate on a passed ball, making the score 10-2 heading into the top of the seventh. Junior Evan Biddle came on in relief of Layhew, as he got a pair of grounders either side of a walk. The Hilltoppers stayed alive with a single to right and another pair of free bases, the latter putting in a run before Biddle was able to get the last batter via a grounder to Bouma at second to secure the 10-3 victory for FSU.
Schalick led the Bobcats with three hits, as Bouma, Hall, and Carmichael each recorded a pair of knocks, with the latter driving in two RBI. Layhew earned the win, pitching six innings, allowing two runs on two hits, at one point retiring 16 straight batters while striking out nine.
In game two, Frostburg sent freshman Bryce Bauer to the mound, as he worked easily through the first of West Liberty's batters despite a walk before his offense gave a little cushion. Hall started things with a double to left before swiping third, then came home when Holler doubled to give the Bobcats an early 1-0 lead. After getting a pair of quick outs through a K and fly ball to center, Bauer worked out of a jam in the bottom of the second after allowing a single and a hit by pitch, getting the huge third out via a pick-off. After the FSU offense went down in the third, neither offense was able to capitalize with any runners on base until the top of the fourth. West Liberty was able to reach base via an error and an infield single, as Jourdan helped keep them off the board by fielding a grounder and getting the lead runner out at home. A wild pitch moved the runners up, however Bauer ended the threat with a swinging strike to preserve the lead.
With a quiet Bobcat trip to the plate, WLU was able to put some more two-out magic together in the fifth. Another error kept the inning alive, as a single to right was followed by a wild pitch to bring home the tying run. After a walk kept the frame going, graduate Ty Morris came in to close it out, getting an easy pop up. Frostburg was able to respond in the bottom half, with junior Konner Pittman coming in as a pinch hitter and singling to left, being replaced on the bases by senior Tiernan Daly. Cunningham moved him up on a sac bunt, then with two outs, Shaclick laced a double over the right fielder's head to bring in Daly to take a 3-2 lead. In the top of the sixth, Morris was able to get the first two outs before a pair of singles served as his exit for the game, bringing in junior Joey Serafin, who was able to get the last batter to fly out to Schalick in left, preserving the Bobcats' 2-1 lead.
The bottom of the sixth was when the FSU offense took off, as Jourdan led off with a single to right before freshman Mike Swick laid down a sac bunt, which allowed for Jourdan to score on a Bouma single for a third run. After a walk from Carmichael, junior Sam Atkinson launched one into the left center gap that just missed going over the fence by just a few inches, but nonetheless scored Bouma and Carmichael, giving Frostburg two more insurance runs. Atkinson moved up to third on a wild pitch, allowing Cunningham to add another RBI, sending a ball out to center for a sac fly and a 6-1 advantage.
The Hilltoppers looked to provide a late shock, as after a strikeout started the seventh, the visitors put up a double and single to put both runners in scoring position. Serafin thought he could escape trouble with a strikeout swinging, but an error at short allowed both runners to score and keep the game going. Locking things down, Serafin worked another grounder which was fielded cleanly, bringing the contest to a close with the 6-3 victory.
Atkinson led the offense with two RBIs, as Cunningham, Schalick, Holler, and Bouma each batted a run across. Bauer pitched 4.2 innings, surrendering just one run on five hits while striking out six. In relief, Morris pitched an inning and allowed no runs on two hits, earning the win in the process, as Serafin got the save, pitching 1.1 innings with neither of his two runs being earned and striking out a pair.
With the win, the Bobcats improve to 24-6 as West Liberty falls to 9-17 on the year. The 16 consecutive Frostburg wins are the most for the program since the historic 1984 team that won 22 in a row en route to the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. FSU is back in action on Tuesday, April 7, as they travel to face Seton Hill (Pa.) at 3 PM. For more information, please visit frostburgsports.com.
