Frostburg State University Athletics

FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Baseball team fell 11-10 in a heartbreaking loss against Glenville State Saturday night in the MEC Tournament. 

Continuing his streak of leading off the game reaching base, freshman Tanner Cunningham worked a 10-pitch at bat that led to a walk before advancing to third on a stolen base and a throwing error from the Pioneer catcher. Sophomore Manny Hall followed with a walk before junior Jackson Schalick lined a single to left, scoring Cunningham and putting runners on the corners, which allowed for freshman Drew Jourdan to lay down a sac bunt that pushed across Hall to give the Bobcats an early 2-0 lead. 

FSU sent out sophomore Hunter Layhew to toe the rubber, as after walking the first batter, got some help from his defense with a 6-4-3 double play before he was able to get the last batter via a flyout. Back on offense, sophomore Zane Bohn kept the momentum going as he shot a single into center before swiping second base. Redshirt sophomore CJ Carmichael looked to advance Bohn to third with a bunt, as he beat out the throw while an error led to Bohn scoring. With the top of the lineup back up, Cunningham sent a hit to left before Hall worked another walk to load the bases. Schalick stepped into the box and launched a grand slam to put the Bobcats up 7-0 and break the program single-season RBI with 63. The big inning didn't end there, as a pitch later, senior Jake Holler blasted a solo home run, for his 61st RBI of the year.

Layhew came back out in the second inning, breezing through GSU's batters with two swinging K's and a fly ball, before the third inning went by quietly for both sides. In the fourth, FSU got a runner on with a Hall single, but couldn't push him across. The bottom half of the inning brought some trouble for Frostburg as Layhew walked the first three batters before plunking the third to bring around a run, before Glenville sent a single to left to bring in a second run, serving as Layhew's exit for the game. Redshirt sophomore Cody Sharman came out of the bullpen and got a quick first out on a fielder's choice before getting the second out via a sac fly. Just when it looked like the Bobcats were going to escape with minimal damage, Colby Guy sent a 3-2 pitch into the right-center gap, scoring three runs and lowering the deficit to 8-5. 

Looking to increase their lead, Bohn worked a one-out walk in the fifth before stealing second, allowing him to score on a Carmichael double, bringing the score to 9-5. The Pioneers responded in the bottom half, as a single and a stolen base led things off before another single to right brought in GSU's sixth run. Graduate Ty Morris was called up out of the bullpen and quickly got two outs via a fly ball and a fielder's choice before a pair of singles drove in a run to bring Glenville within two in a 9-7 score.

In the sixth, both teams got base runners but weren't able to score them, with junior Joey Serafin coming on in relief. FSU threatened again in the seventh as Bohn worked a walk and junior Johnny Antonelli singled to put runners on first and third, but Glenville was able to induce two grounders to end the inning. The bottom of the seventh brought trouble for Serafin as he surrendered three singles to load the bases before a fourth would score two to tie the game at nine. Sophomore Kamden Sowers came in to try and keep the score right where it was, however with two outs, Jacob Meadows worked a seven-pitch at bat before lining a single to center and giving the Pioneers their first lead of the day at 11-9. 

Frostburg was able to get back one run in the eighth as Hall and Schalick both reached via free bases before a fielder's choice off the bat of Jourdan loaded the bags. Another fielder's choice, this time from junior Ryan Bouma brought in Hall to cut GSU's lead down to one, but a strikeout left two runners on base. After Sowers worked a swift 1-2-3 inning, the Bobcats' last chance came in the ninth. Stepping in with two outs, Cunningham doubled into the left-center gap to provide some hope, however Glenville shut it down as they got the last batter to ground out to second to beat FSU 11-0, survive elimination, and move on to the championship game. 

Schalick led on offense, going 2-for-3 to go along with five RBI. Cunningham and Carmichael each recorded a pair of hits as well.

With the loss, Frostburg falls to 36-17 as the Pioneers improve to 30-22. The Bobcats are back at GoMart Ballpark for championship Sunday on May 9, as they face an elimination game against Charleston (WV) starting at 1 PM, where the winner advance to face Glenville in the Championship Game. For more information, please visit frostburgsports.com.