Frostburg State University Athletics

CHARLESTON, W. Va. – The Frostburg State Baseball team engineered a stunning late-inning turnaround to start their MEC Tournament, defeating Charleston 12-6 on Thursday afternoon.
 
Junior John Smith earned the start and was able to work out of some early trouble, allowing a lead-off walk but picking the runner off, then after issuing another free base, got a pair of groundouts to put UC's bats down. In the bottom half, freshman Tanner Cunningham looked to provide an early spark on a lead-off double, however he advanced no further with three consecutive outs.
 
The Golden Eagles broke through in the second in quick fashion, putting the first two runners on with a pair of singles followed by a sac bunt to put both in scoring position. Following a groundout to second, a walk loaded the bases, as an error, single, and double plated five total runs and brought sophomore Kamden Sowers out of the bullpen to record the final out. With FSU going down in order, Charleston continued their momentum into the third, leading off with a double before another one with two-outs put their lead at 6-0.
 
Frostburg got themselves on the board in the next half inning, as sophomore Sam Atkinson was hit by a pitch while redshirt sophomore CJ Carmichael drew a walk. After a fly out to center, sophomore Manny Hall drove a ball back up the middle to plate Atkinson. Junior Jackson Schalick looked to keep the rally going with a walk, but a 5-5-3 double play swiftly brought the frame to a close. Sowers worked an efficient fourth, with the only traffic coming on a one-out single, as he then tossed a 1-2-3 fifth with a pair of K's to prevent the Golden Eagles from adding to their lead.
 
In the bottom of the fifth, FSU's offense came alive, engineering a shocking comeback attempt. Carmichael and Cunningham were both hit by a pitch, with Hall's knock to center loading the bases with no outs. Schalick ripped a single to left to plate a run, then Holler followed suit, allowing Cunningham and Hall to come home. After UC made a pitching change, Jourdan laid down a tailor-made sac bunt, then junior Ryan Bouma launched a three-run shot into left, giving Frostburg a stunning 7-6 lead.
 
Sophomore Hunter Layhew came onto the mound in the sixth and continued to shut down Charleston's offense, as the Bobcat bats continued to stay hot in the bottom half. Cunningham waved a pitch that would have been a strikeout, however the ball got away and allowed him to reach first. Hall followed with a hit through the right side, then Schalick barreled a ball into right-center for Frostburg's second three-run homer of the game and a 10-6 advantage. Holler kept the at-bats going with a double to left, as Bouma and junior Logan Helser each drew walks, however a swinging strike finally brought the frame to a close, leaving the bases loaded.
 
The Bobcat defense helped Layhew out in the seventh, as after a one-out walk, Carmichael kicked off a well-worked 6-4-3 double play to swiftly halt any UC momentum. Frostburg tried to play some small ball in the bottom half, as Carmichael was walked to lead off, moving to second on a sac bunt before getting thrown out trying to steal third, as FSU still managed to come away with a run, as Hall instead played some long ball, launching one to right-center for an 11-6 score.
 
Keeping the bullpen arms going, graduate Ty Morris got a pair of quick outs to start the eighth, however a single and passed ball put the runner on second. Holler got Morris out of the inning, fielding a line drive to right in holding Charleston off the board again. Some wayward pitching by the Golden Eagles brought in another Bobcat run, as Holler ripped a knock to left-center while Jourdan was walked and Bouma got hit by a pitch. Helser grounded a ball that resulted in a double play but still brought a six-run lead. Entrusted to earn the final three outs, junior Joey Serafin allowed a single to the first batter before working back-to-back fly outs. Down to their last at-bat, UC worked another hit to put two on, but would see them left stranded after a called strike three for the 12-6 final.
 
Hall, Schalick, and Holler drove FSU's offense, combining for nine hits, eight RBI, and seven runs scored between the trio. The bullpen tandem of Sowers, Layhew, Morris, and Serafin combined to allow just one run and one walk with six strikeouts between the quartet.
 
With the win, Frostburg improves to 35-16 on the year, while Charleston drops to 21-29. FSU will next face Point Park on Friday, May 8 at 3:30 p.m. in a North Division rivalry match. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.