Pippin's Start, Late Offense Boosts Baseball Over IUP for Seventh Straight Win

INDIANA, Pa. – The Frostburg State Baseball team used late offense to jump in front of Indiana (Pa.) on Wednesday afternoon during their single nine-inning game, taking the 6-1 win before the game was called late in the ninth due to rain.
 
Both teams saw a 1-2-3 first outing from the plate, with junior Joe Pippin getting the nod on the mound for Frostburg.  The Bobcats remained hitless after two, as IUP belted a double down the left field line in their second at-bats, but Pippin was able to cough up the final out of the inning to strand the runner on base.  Again, both squads showed the minimum in the third, with Pippin recording a K to keep the game 0-0 after three. 
 
FSU got their first baserunner of the day in the top half of the fourth, as sophomore Jackson Schalick was walked.  Schalick advanced all the way to third with two outs, but Frostburg was unable to bring him in.  Pippin impressed in the bottom of the inning, seeing three-up three-down, as he ended the fourth with another strikeout.  This set up the Bobcats for their first knock of the day as redshirt junior Ben Wieman singled to left to start the fifth, also making his way to the third on two outs but was left stranded as well.  Pippin once again threw a perfect inning, causing three quick outs from three batters to move the game into the sixth still scoreless.
 
Redshirt CJ Carmichael started the spark for FSU in the sixth, sending a leadoff single to left.  Schalick followed right behind him with a single of his own, putting two Bobcats on with no outs.  Freshman Manny Hall then grounded out to second, advancing both runners into scoring position, as senior Mikey Guy put Frostburg on the board 2-0 with a two-RBI single to right.  The Crimson Hawks collected a leadoff single in their offensive half of the inning, as freshman Hunter Layhew took over in the middle of the sixth.  IUP quickly put two on after the change, causing sophomore Bryce Hendricks to come to the mound, where he threw for a double-play to leave two on and keep the score at 2-0 in favor of FSU.
 
Both teams once again showed a three-up three-down situation in the seventh, with Hendricks earning the 1-2-3 putout for Frostburg.  The Bobcats rallied in the top of the eighth, as Carmichael reached base off another single and trotted home on a two-run bomb from Schalick for a 4-0 score.  The Crimson Hawks belted a single to begin their at-bats of the inning, allowing redshirt senior Nate Vermillion to make his way to the bump.  Vermillion gave up an RBI hit but struck out two, leaving the score 4-1 heading into the ninth.
 
Knotting his second hit of the day, Wieman got in on the home run action for FSU, sending a solo shot over the left field fence for a quick 5-1 game.  Graduate Randy Steen then reached on an IUP error, before advancing to second on a balk.  Sitting on third after a ground out from junior Kade Abrisz, Steen came home on an RBI single to center from Carmichael to increase the score to 6-1.  The rain started to come down as the next pitcher began to warm up for the Crimson Hawks causing both squads to have to call the game, leaving Frostburg with the 6-1 victory.
 
Carmichael led the offense for Frostburg with three total hits on the day to go along with two runs and an RBI.  Schalick, Guy, and Wieman all recorded a pair of knocks, combining for three runs and five RBI.  Pippin was given the win for his third of the season, pitching a solid 5.1 innings, giving up just two hits to go along with one walk and zero runs while striking out a pair.
 
With the win, Frostburg improves to 19-7 on the season, while Indiana (Pa.) drops to 7-19.  The Bobcats return to MEC play over the weekend, traveling to face West Liberty in a two-day four-game series starting on Saturday, April 5 at 1 PM.  For more information and updates, please visit frostburgsports.com.