Bouma Ends Baseball's 13-Inning Marathon With Walk-Off Double

FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Baseball Team defeated the Wilmington (Del.) Wildcats in a 13-inning game on Tuesday evening by a score of 4-3.

Sophomore Joe Pippin started on the mound for the Bobcats, only giving up a hit and leaving one on to start the game. Frostburg got on the board early as leadoff hitter freshman Jackson Schalick, hit one to the center field fence for a triple. Junior Randy Steen followed that up with a double to left field, bringing in Schalick for a 1-0 lead. A popout and fielder's choice allowed junior Mikey Guy to reach first, but FSU sacrificed two outs in the process. A hit by pitch to freshman Ryan Bouma gave him a route to first and advanced Guy. With runners on first and second, freshman Logan Helser made solid contact with the ball, hitting a double and sending Guy and Bouma home for a 3-0 lead.

Wilmington left one stranded and FSU saw no action in the second, moving the game into the third. A single, stolen base, walk and passed ball awarded the Wildcats with two scores to start their day at the plate, pulling within 3-2. Freshman Bryce Hendricks entered from the bullpen to get the final two outs and put FSU back at bat. Steen and Guy each saw a hit in the bottom of the third but three outs were had before bringing any runners in. The fourth saw little action, as WU had three quick outs followed by FSU leaving two stranded after senior Aidan Duda walked and senior Nick Trey was hit by a pitch.

WILMU used some small ball in the fifth, as the first batter was hit by a pitch, bringing in sophomore Will Ricketts. A sac bunt moved the runner up, but the lefty worked a fly out to center to get the second out, however the Wildcats tied the game 3-3 on a single through the right side. Freshman Cristian Bonilla polished off the inning, getting around a walk with a grounder to second to end the frame.

A new pitcher for Wilmington saw the Bobcats go three up three down, as junior Cael Huyer got the nod in the sixth, working a pair of strikeouts before junior Ethan Grieb stranded a runner at second with a grounder to short. FSU saw no hits in the bottom half, forcing another bullpen move to put junior Todd Murphy in, striking out one and forcing the Wildcats into two ground outs. Wilmington's bullpen arms kept Frostburg quiet, allowing only a two-out walk before Murphy recorded another strikeout and was relieved by graduate Ben Vok to get into the bottom of the eighth. 

Still unable to gain any momentum, the Bobcats were put down 1-2-3, setting the stage for what was set to be the last inning of the game. Wilmington was at bat, seeing one hit and stealing second, but Bouma was able to field a tough grounder at second to end the frame and send his team to bat with a chance to win. FSU couldn't capitalize, as a pair of strikeouts and fly out to center moved the game into extra innings. Senior Ethan Kiple was called up to close out the game on the mound, getting out of a one-out single with a stirkeout and senior Justin Jimenez throwing the runner out trying to steal second. Frostburg tired again to get on offense, but was unsuccessful, turning the game into the eleventh. Wilmington earned a hit but Jimenez caught a pop-up and Kiple got a backwards K to keep things tied. 

Leading off the 11th, Kiple ripped a single through the left side and moved to second on a sac bunt, but after Bouma reached on an infield single, a double play kept the game moving forward. WILMU saw their best chance to score in the top of the 12th with a one-out double, but Kiple got the next batter to fly out to center and ended the half with another strikeout looking. The Bobcats couldn't take advantage of a Wildcat error in the bottom of the inning, but Kiple set the side down in order in the top of the 13th, highlighted by a great diving catch from Steen. 

The FSU center fielder led off the bottom of the frame with a single into left, but a pop out by Kiple left Steen at first. He proceeded to steal second before Guy had a patient at-bat, earning a walk to first to put two runners on. With only one out, Bouma found the gap in left center, driving the ball on one hop to the wall, scoring Steen and winning the extra-inning game 4-3.

As the final of nine Bobcat pitchers used, Kiple earned his first win of the year with a game-high four innings pitched, striking out four without allowing a run. Steen led FSU in hits with three, followed by Bouma with two and four other Bobcats each with one. Helser earned two RBI with Steen and Bouma each finishing with one.

With the conclusion of today's game Frostburg moves to an overall record of 25-9 while Wilmington falls to 20-14. FSU is back in action on Saturday, April 27 as they travel to Salem, WV to take on the Tigers in a two-day four-game series. For more information visit frostburgsports.com.