Frostburg State University Athletics

FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Baseball team picked up two wins in their final regular-season doubleheader against Fairmont State on Saturday afternoon, prevailing 11-2 and 9-8. 

In between games, the Bobcats celebrated their two seniors, Jake Holler and Tiernan Daly, and graduate Ty Morris to commemorate each player's Frostburg career.

Morris got the start in game one, finding some early trouble after back-to-back lead-off singles that led to a run before he was able to limit the damage with a backward K and a pop-up. In the bottom of the first, the Bobcats immediately answered back, as junior Jackson Schalick worked a two-out walk, stole second, and then scored on a Holler single to right to even the score at one apiece. Morris found his groove in the second, retiring Fairmont in order with two grounders and another popout, putting Frostburg right back to the plate. Two free bases drawn by sophomore Zane Bohn and redshirt sophomore CJ Carmichael were followed by a hit by pitch on sophomore Sam Atkinson, which led to a freshman Tanner Cunninham sac fly to bring another run across to give the Bobcats a 2-1 lead. 

After another scoreless inning from both sides, the Falcons tied the game at two after a single, an error, and a walk were followed by a sac fly of their own. The lead didn't hold on long, however, as in the bottom of the frame, Atkinson led things off with another hit by pitch before Cunningham beat out an infield single to third and Hall worked a four-pitch walk to load the bases. Another two sac flies, this time from Schalick and Holler, scored Atkinson and Cunningham brought the score to 4-2. 

The fifth inning began with sophomore Kamden Sowers coming out of the bullpen, and despite plunking the first batter he saw, got out of the inning with three fly balls to preserve the two-run lead. Things blew open for Frostburg in the bottom of the fifth, as Bohn singled to right before Carmichael drew a walk, then freshman Landon Marple came in to pinch hit, sending the first pitch he saw into the left-center gap to score two more runs. Marple came in to score when a Cunningham grounder generated an error, then Hall got plunked, followed by Schalick rocketing a double to right center, scoring both runners and bringing the Bobcats' lead to five.

In the sixth, Sowers was helped out by some great defense, as after a liner to left and another to second, Hall caught Adam Louks trying to stretch a single into a double on a bullet throw from right to end the frame. Junior Ryan Bouma led off the bottom half with a single before Carmichael got a free base, as the former came around to score on a freshman Mason Kelleher single. Carmichael scored on a sac fly off the bat of Cunningham, widening the lead to 11-2. Looking to get the last three outs, Sowers easily took down the Falcon hitters with a swinging strikeout and two grounders to freshman Drew Jourdan to secure the 11-2 victory for Frostburg.

Schalick led the offense, going a perfect 2-for-2 with three RBIs and a walk as Cunningham, Holler, and Marple each knocked in a pair of runs. Morris earned the win, pitching four innings and allowing two runs on four hits, as Sowers earned the save out of the bullpen, throwing three innings and surrendering only two hits.

In game two, sophomore Hunter Layhew was handed the ball to start and flew through Fairmont in the firs,t as his offense immediately provided some cushion in the bottom half of the frame. Cunningham led off by reaching first via an error before advancing to second on a Bohn sac bunt, followed by back-to-back walks to Schalick and Holler to load the bases. Jourdan hit a towering fly ball to left, serving as a sac fly and scoring Cunningham. The second run for the Bobcats would come across when Schalick swiped third, and the Falcons catcher threw the ball down the line, allowing Schalick to score for an early 2-0 lead.

Fairmont came back with a vengeance in the second, as a walk and a single were followed by a passed ball and a single to score one run. Two more came across as another walk and a knock gave the Falcons their first lead of the day. Both baserunners advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch before a walk and a single scored another pair of runs to give the visitors a 5-2 lead. In the bottom half of the frame, Frostburg hit back, as Carmichael led off with a walk, then Bohn did the same, which allowed for a Schalick single to score Carmichael from second. Holler followed with a hit of his own to left center that scored Bohn before an infield single from Jourdan brought Schalick across to even the score at five. 

After two walks between an out in the third, redshirt sophomore Cody Sharman came out of the bullpen and was able to get the last two Fairmont batters via a swinging K and a pop-up to Bohn at first. A scoreless inning from the Bobcat offense allowed the Falcons to take a 7-5 lead with a walk followed by a double and a passed ball. The following two innings went by without much action, as junior Joey Serafin came in to pitch the fifth, getting around a one-out double with a pop up and fly out. Fairmont added an insurance run in the sixth, using a walk, passed ball, and rip up the middle to lead 8-5. 

Frostburg brought some rally magic into the bottom of the frame, as Cunningham led off with a double before Bohn drew a four-pitch walk, then after back-to-back outs, a walk to Jourdan loaded the bases. A wild pitch scored Cunningham, as Bouma reached base by getting plunked before another passed ball brought Bohn home. A soft grounder to first off the bat of Hall resulted in an error, as Jourdan raced home to tie the game at eight heading into the final inning. Serafin came back out looking to keep the score right where it was, as he recorded the first two outs with ease, but then loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. After a mound visit from pitching coach Michael Austin, he generated a groundball to Jourdan at third, who stepped on the bag for the final out. In the bottom of the seventh, after a grounder for the first out, Cunningham stepped up to the plate, working a full-count at-bat before he blasted the sixth pitch over the left field wall for a 9-8 walk-off win.

Cunningham and Holler each recorded a pair of hits with an RBI, as Jourdan knocked in two runs. Serafin earned the win, throwing the last three innings, surrendering one run on four hits.

With the sweep, Frostburg ends its regular season with a record of 34-16, as Fairmont moves to 19-29. The Bobcats will begin the MEC Tournament in Charleston next week as they await their seeding to determine their opponent as well as the day they will begin play. For more information, please visit frostburgsports.com