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Bauer Throws Five Hitless Innings in Game Two of Baseball's Day One Sweep of NDC

Sat, Apr 27, 2024

FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Baseball team swept Notre Dame College (Ohio) in a MEC doubleheader on Saturday afternoon by scores of 6-4 and 18-0.

On the rainy spring day, junior Jacob McDonald started on the mound for Frostburg in game one, stranding two. FSU got on the board first, as lead-off hitter freshman Jackson Schalick walked to first. With one down and another walk earned by senior Ethan Kiple, FSU put runners on first and second. A long single by junior Mikey Guy gave Schalick room to score for a 1-0 game, as two quick outs left two Bobcats stranded. 

NDC quickly answered back with four runs in the top of the second, taking a 4-1 lead.  Senior Aidan Duda earned the lone hit for FSU in the second, as McDonald and FSU's defense locked in with three quick outs in the top half of the third. Frostburg tried to advance their score in the bottom of the inning, but the Falcons would get out of the inning stranding three Bobcats on base. An error and a hit put two runners on base for NDC in the fourth, but McDonald caused a fly out to move the game into the bottom of the inning.

Schalick hit a hard ball to center field, awarding him first to start off the bottom of the fourth, as a wild pitch saw Schalick on second. Kiple then took the ball to the shoulder, placing him on base, as Guy shot a stand up double to right field, scoring two to bring the game to 4-3.  Now within one, Guy took third on a passed ball, as with two outs, Steen knocked the ball to left field earning an RBI single to tie the game at 4-4. FSU proceeded to take the lead as Duda doubled to center, allowing Steen to round the bases for Frostburg to capture the 5-4 advantage.

To kick off the fifth, junior Cael Huyer relived McDonald, earning two strikeouts while only giving up a hit.  An error by NDC allowed junior Christian Shertzer to reach base, but getting caught stealing, followed by a strikeout and fly out turned the game over to the sixth. Huyer saw the first batter with a strikeout, before walking the following two. Junior Nate Vermillion was pulled from the pen to finish out the inning, causing a another fly out, as a long throw from Schalick in right field to freshman Ryan Bouma at second sent Frostburg back to the plate ending the top of the inning with a double play.  

Kiple gave FSU a two-run lead in the bottom of the sixth, hammering the ball to left field for a solo home run and a 6-4 score.  NDC stepped in the box for their last chance at the plate in the top of the seventh, as Vermillion caused a ground out and struck out two to pick up the save and close game one with the Bobcats on top 6-4.

McDonald earned the win, seeing his overall pitching record stand at 8-1, while Vermillion earned his third save of the year.  Duda went a perfect 2-for-2 from the plate, along with Guy who went 3-for-4 and led with three RBI.

Game two saw junior Patrick Bauer on the bump, throwing a strikeout and seeing the next two ground out to end his first outing. A quick out put Steen in the box, hitting a single and stealing second.  With one out, Guy stepped up to bat, knocking a single to left which brought Steen home for a 1-0 FSU lead. Three-up three-down in the top of the second, with Bauer recording a strikeout, put Frostburg back on offense for the bottom of the inning.

FSU added to their score as Bouma walked to first, advanced on a passed ball, and proceeded to run through home, as Shertzer singled to left center. A single by freshman Logan Helser, with senior Justin Jimenez reaching on an error, loaded the bases for Frostburg. Schalick, patient at the plate, walked, resulting in another run for the Bobcats to see the score at 3-0. Steen, with a sacrifice fly, followed by a double from Kiple saw the score at 5-0 with one out. NDC brought in a relief pitcher to try and get out of the inning, but FSU added two more to their score off a double from Guy before moving to the third inning.

Bauer still throwing, earned another strikeout, seeing the next two batters flying out to the right side.  NDC gave up a hit to Jimenez in the bottom of the third, but lef him on base, pushing the game to the fourth. Bauer continued to sit down the Falcons, giving up zero hits through the first four innings.  The Bobcats earned nine runs on six hits in the bottom of the fourth, seeing Steen, Guy, junior Danny Estrada, Bouma, Shertzer, Jimenez and senior Stafford Allison all running across home plate, with Kiple crossing home twice to send things to the fifth. Bauer still with the go-ahead, dealt two outs and a walk, throwing another strikeout to end the top of the inning.

FSU earned their last two runs in the bottom of the fifth, as Bouma and Shertzer were placed on base after earning walks. Freshman Tiernan Daly got hit by a pitch to load the bases, as Jimenez with a single and freshman Brian Scott with a walk let Bouma and Shertzer advance home for a 18-0 score. Bauer pitched the sixth, giving up his first hit of the day but striking out two more to leave two on base. The Bobcats tried to continue their firepower offense to add more to their score, but no hits would move the game into the final inning. To close the game, junior Ryan Adams was sent to the mound, giving up one hit and striking out two, ending the game with Frostburg on top 18-0. .

Bauer earned the game two win, recording six strikeouts and only giving up one hit, allowing his overall record to read 6-1. Guy led the way offensively in game two, going 4-for-5 and  racking up five RBI, while Steen had two hits on two at bats, with Kiple and Jimenez recording a pair of knocks as well.  Kiple was next in RBI with three, while Steen and Estrada each picked up two. 

With the conclusion of this doubleheader, Frostburg's overall record moves to 30-11 with their conference record reading 19-3, while NDC falls to an overall record of 10-33 with their conference record standing at 7-19. FSU is back in action on Sunday, April 28 as they take on the Falcons for day two of their two-day four-game series with the first pitch set for 1 PM at Bob Wells Field.  For more information, visit frostburgsports.com.