Baseball Uses Team Offense to Soar Past UPJ in Midweek Non-Conference Play

FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Baseball team used 17 hits to soar past Pitt-Johnstown at home on Tuesday afternoon, taking the midweek contest by a final score of 18-8.
 
Freshman Zach Dodson got another start on the mound this week, seeing a 1-2-3 outing in the first, recording a strikeout for the last out.  Frostburg wasted no time to get their bats rolling, as sophomore Jackson Schalick powered a leadoff single to center, as seniors Doyle McNew and Mikey Guy then loaded the bases, with the latter ripping a single as well.  Schalick came home for the first run of the game off a passed ball from UPJ, as an RBI single from sophomore Ryan Bouma scored McNew for a 2-0 game after the first.
 
The Mountain Cats quickly tied the game in the top of the second, getting two runs to go off an error in the outfield from FSU.  Pitt-Johnstown put up three hits in the inning as well, as Dodson got out of a bases loaded jam to end the inning.  Junior Kody Abrisz then tallied his first hit of the day in the bottom of the second, setting himself up to steal second.  Another single from Schalick moved Abrisz to third, as McNew was credited with the sacrifice fly to put the Bobcats back in front.  Freshman Josh Domaracki took the mound to start the third, as UPJ tied the game once again, as fellow freshman Kamden Sowers recorded the final out of the inning to keep the score 3-3. 
 
FSU retook the lead in the bottom of the third, as graduate Randy Steen reached first off a single and scored on an error from the Mountain Cats.  Sophomore Logan Helser and Schalick were credited with an RBI in the inning, with Schalick roping a double to move the game to 6-3.  Pitt-Johnston got one run back in the start of the fourth, with Sowers leaving two on base for UPJ as Frostburg remained in front 6-4 heading into the fifth inning.  Senior Ryan Adams recorded two K's from the mound in the top of the fifth, stranding a Mountain Cat in his appearance on the bump.  Schalick and McNew each captured a double in their at-bats of the inning, combining for three RBI for a 9-4 score, as Bouma was then credited with a sacrifice fly to end the inning with the Bobcats on top 10-4. 
 
Sophomore Cristian Bonilla was given the pitch in the sixth, coughing up a double-play and a strikeout to end the inning.  The Bobcats continued to extend their lead in the bottom of the sixth, as junior Jake Holler saw a single to center and scored on another RBI double from McNew.  Guy then recorded another single on the day to score McNew, as Bouma put out a double to left field to bring in Guy for a 13-4 game.  Seniors Cael Huyer and Ethan Grieb combined on the mound to finish out the top half of the seventh for FSU's defense, as Pitt-Johnstown brought the game to 13-8 before Grieb earned two big K's to stop UPJ's rally.  Frostburg tallied another run to their edge in their look at offense in the inning, with Holler being given a sacrifice fly to bring home junior Ben Wieman who was walked.  Sophomore Bryce Hendricks was given the bump in the eighth for the Bobcats, seeing a pair of strikeouts while leaving one on for the Mountain Cats. 
 
FSU wasn't done yet in the bottom of the eighth, keeping their bats going for a 18-8 lead.  Senior Christian Shertzer and Guy were awarded a base, as sophomore Cole Carter smacked a single to left to bring both runners in.  Helser was then hit by a pitch, as both Carter and Helser sprinted home as two pitches rolled to the back stop for Pitt-Johnstown.  Graduate Dan Morgano and redshirt freshman Liam Bowen finished out the game on the bump for the Bobcats, each recording a strikeout to leave the final score at 18-8 in favor of FSU. 
 
Schalick continued his successful run at the plate, leading the team with a 4-for-6 performance while going for two runs and two RBI.  Guy was next with three hits in four at-bats along with two runs and an RBI, while McNew, Bouma, Steen, and Abrisz all finished with a pair of hits each.  McNew was credited with a team-high four RBI, while Bouma was right behind him with three.  The Bobcats pitching staff combined for 11 K's on the day, as Sowers was given the win for his first of the season. 
 
With the win, Frostburg moves to 14-7 on the season, while Pitt-Johnstown falls to 7-14.  The Bobcats return to conference play on Saturday, March 29 when they go on the road to face West Virginia Wesleyan at 1 PM.  For more information and updates, please visit frostburgsports.com.