Wieman Knocks Two Bombs as Baseball Drops Opening MEC Action to Mountain Lions

ATHENS, W.Va. – The Frostburg State Baseball team fell in their opening MEC doubleheader on Friday, dropping their road contest to Concord by scores of 3-2 and 10-5. 
 
Frostburg saw a slow start at the plate in their first outing, as sophomore Jack Ray came out to pitch for the Bobcats in the bottom of the first.  Ray put two on for Concord but left both on base to round out the inning.  FSU found their rhythm in the second, as senior Mikey Guy connected on a leadoff single, advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt by graduate Randy Steen.  Guy came across home plate after redshirt freshman CJ Carmichael put the ball in play and reached on an error by CU, giving Frostburg the 1-0 lead heading into the bottom of the inning. 
 
Ray threw a 1-2-3 go-around in the bottom of the second, setting up the Bobcats to add another run to their total to open the third.  Sophomore Ryan Bouma doubled up the middle, before taking third on a wild pitch.  Senior Doyle McNew was then intentionally walked, as Guy reached on a fielder's choice to help Bouma reach home for a 2-0 FSU lead.  The Mountain Lions quickly tied the game in their at-bats of the inning, scoring two runs off a hit and two errors from the Bobcats. 
 
Junior Kade Abrisz roped a single to center for Frostburg's offense in the fourth, advancing all the way to third on two wild pitches, but FSU was unable to get the go-ahead run home.  Ray gave up two hits in the bottom of the inning, as the Bobcats caught one stealing to leave one on for Concord.  Both teams saw a slow outing in the fifth, as Guy was credited with another single in the top of the sixth, trading hits with the Mountain Lions in the inning, as neither team was able to capitalize. 
 
Sophomore Jackson Schalick pushed a single through the left side to get on base in FSU's last at-bats, but Frostburg was unable to get anything out of it.  Now with a tie game in the bottom of the seventh, junior Joe Pippin came into pitch, as CU was able to put two on.  Pippin struck one batter out before graduate Dan Morgano took over on the mound, as Frostburg's defense worked to get the game-winning run out at home.  Now with two outs but bases loaded, Concord was able to draw the game-winning walk to take game one 3-2. 
 
Schalick was the first base runner of game two, drawing a walk and advancing to second off a wild pitch, but the Bobcats weren't able to get anything going.  Freshman Zach Donladson got the start on the mound in game two, giving up a hit in his first outing but left the runner on base.  FSU worked quickly in their next at-bats, scoring again in the second, after redshirt junior Ben Wieman singled to right to bring in junior Jake Holler, who was on second after a double.  Donaldson threw a solid inning in the second, leaving another one on to keep the Bobcats in front 1-0 after two. 
 
Guy saw a double in the third, as Concord began their offense in the inning, jumping in front 4-1 after four hits.  Wieman cut FSU's deficit in half in the fourth, knocking a solo shot over the left field fence for a 4-2 game.  Sophomore Bryce Hendricks took the mound in the bottom of the inning, getting a quick out before CU tallied another run for a 5-2 score.  The Bobcats saw a quick at-bat in the top of the fifth, as freshmen Hunter Layhew and Kamden Sowers combined to pitch in the bottom of the inning, as Concord stayed hot, sending out two hits and using three Frostburg errors to advance their lead to 9-2. 
 
Sophomore Brian Scott reached base off a throwing error from the Mountain Lions to lead off the sixth, as Holler connected on another single in the inning to put two on for Frostburg.  Wieman then connected on another bomb, sending a three-run shot over the center field fence to sit the score at 9-5.  Senior Ethan Grieb came in to throw for FSU in the bottom of the inning, as the Mountain Lions were able to expand their lead to 10-5.  McNew was the lone Bobcat to get on base in the team's final at-bats, leaving the final score at 10-5. 
 
Guy led the way offensively for FSU with four hits, one run, and one RBI, while Wieman was next with three hits, going 3-for-3 in game two with two runs and five RBI.  Abrisz finished with two hits, while Schalick, Bouma, and McNew all pitched in one.  The Bobcats' pitching staff combined for 11 K's on the day, with Ray leading the team with five. 
 
With the losses, Frostburg falls to 8-5 on the season, while Concord moves to 8-7.  The Bobcats have a quick turnaround, facing Glenville State tomorrow, March 15 for a road doubleheader set to begin at 1 PM.  For more information and updates, please visit frostburgsports.com.