Pippin Goes Six Strong, Vermillion Shuts Down Rams Comeback in Baseball's Win

FROSTBURG, Md. – The Frostburg State Baseball team used a strong start from junior Joe Pippin and a big offensive fourth inning to defeat Shepherd 6-3 at home on Wednesday.
 
Kicking things off in the first inning, Pippin got a pair of groundouts to senior Mikey Guy at third either side of a strikeout looking to set the Rams down in order. Sophomore Jackson Schalick started the bottom half by ripping a ball down the left field line and getting to second. He was immediately brought in as Guy pulled a ball just past the shortstop for the game's first run. Pippin put the SU bats away quietly again in the second to bring FSU back to the plate. Junior Kade Abrisz worked a one-out walk and moved to second on a bunt by redshirt freshman CJ Carmichael, eventually scoring as graduate Randy Steen grounded a ball back up the middle for an RBI single and a 2-0 lead.
 
Shepherd finally managed to put some traffic on the bases in the third, getting their first runner of the game on via an error, followed by a hit batter. Pippin settled down, however, getting the next batter to strike out before working a fielder's choice to second and a grounder nicely fielded by Carmichael to end the frame with the two-run lead intact. Freshman Manny Hall led the third off with a knock into center, then the Bobcats tried to work some two-out magic as junior Jake Holler drew a walk and senior Doyle McNew was hit by a pitch, but a strikeout left the bases loaded.
 
Another three groundouts kept Pippin moving and the Ram bats quiet, as FSU put together their strongest inning so far in the fourth. Carmichael reached on a dropped catch at first base, moving around to third after Schalick lined a ball up the middle. Hall then pulled a hit into right to plate Carmichael while Schalick scored. Guy, sophomore Ryan Bouma, and Holler then put together a trio of singles that each plated a run, capping the scoring with a 6-0 advantage.
 
Having gone four innings of no-hit ball, Pippin finally allowed his first knock on a ball to right but was immediately helped by his defense on a 6-4-3 double play to clear the bases. He was able to get another groundout to Guy as the shutout bid stayed alive. Carmichael and Steen drew back-to-back walks in the fifth though a double play ended the frame without another score. Shepherd then got their first extra base hit of the day on a double into left, but Abrisz was able to gun the runner down trying to steal third, as McNew made a nice catch in foul territory to end the Ram at-bats once more.
 
After Pippin was pulled following his six strong innings, SU was able to put some offense together, taking advantage of a hit by pitch followed by a long two-run home run to left that made things 6-2. With another batter being walked, freshman Hunter Layhew came out of the pen to get another foul out followed by a backwards K to get out of further trouble. McNew led off with a walk in the seventh, as redshirt junior pinch runner Tiernan Daly moved to second on a sac bunt from Abrisz. A grounder to third kept Daly put, while a fly out ended the scoring threat.
 
Shepherd was able to scrape another run across in the eighth, drawing a lead-off walk and taking advantage of a two-base Bobcat error that would have ended the frame, however the score now stood at 6-3. Sophomore Brian Scott legged out a double on a fly ball to left and moved to third on a wild pitch, but couldn't advance further after a pair of groundouts ended the inning. Entrusted with trying to pick up the save, redshirt senior Nate Vermillion breezed through the ninth inning, getting a pair of strikeouts looking while a high fly to Scott in right completed the 6-3 victory.
 
Pippin was brilliant in his six innings of work, allowing just two hits while striking out a pair. Guy, Hall, and Schalick all enjoyed multi-hit games, with the former also driving in a pair of RBI for the team lead.
 
With the win, Frostburg improves to 23-8 on the year, while Shepherd falls to 16-17. FSU is set to return to action at home this weekend with a four-game series against Wheeling. Information and updates will be posted to frostburgsports.com.