Baseball Drops Regular Season Finale to Falcons for Series Split

MORGANTOWN. W.Va. – The Frostburg State Baseball team wrapped up their regular season on Sunday, falling in their series finale with Fairmont by scores of 5-4 and 7-3. 
 
Frostburg got on the board first to start the day, as senior Mikey Guy sent out a single for the first hit of the game, moving over to second after senior Doyle McNew followed with a single of his own.  Junior Jake Holler picked up the first RBI of the day, sending a single to bring in Guy for a 1-0 ballgame.  Sophomore Ryan Bouma connected on an RBI single as well, scoring McNew to put the score at 2-0 after the first half inning.  Freshman Zach Dodson started on the mound for the Bobcats in game one, getting three quick outs for a 1-2-3 inning to leave Frostburg in front. 
 
Both teams sent out a single in the second, with sophomore Jackson Schalick being credited with the hit for Frostburg.  Guy recorded another single in the third but was left on base as the Falcons splurged for two hits in the bottom of the inning, getting one run on the board to cut the game to 2-1.  Dodson stranded runners at second and third to end the inning with the Bobcats still on top.  Frostburg stayed quiet at the plate in the fourth, as Fairmont used a two-run homer to jump in front 3-2.  Guy quickly answered for the Bobcats in their next at-bats, connecting on a solo shot over the right field fence to tie the game at 3-3.  Junior Joe Pippin came in to throw in the start of the fifth, getting the Falcons to go three-up three-down. 
 
The Bobcats had an exciting sixth as Bouma and freshman Manny Hall both collected singles, as Frostburg moved runners to second and third, but were unable to break the tie.  Pippin gave up just one hit in the bottom of the inning, stranding the Falcons to keep the score the same.  Both teams were unable to put out any hits in their last chances in the seventh, pushing the game to extra innings. 
 
Bouma started the eighth with a double down the left field line, as redshirt sophomore Tiernan Daly came in to pinch run.  Daly advanced to third off a fielding error from Fairmont, setting him up for an easy score off an RBI single from junior Kade Abrisz to give the Bobcats a 4-3 lead.  Pipping struck out the first batter he faced in the bottom of the eighth, before the Falcons put one on after a single to center.  Frostburg called for redshirt senior Nate Vermillion to come into pitch, as he got one more out before Fairmont knotted back-to-back hits to score two runs and take the game 5-4 with a walk-off.
 
Frostburg showed the minimum in their first at-bats of game two, as redshirt freshman Cody Sharman received the start from the bump, tossing a 1-2-3 first inning.  Redshirt junior Ben Wieman was walked for the first base runner of the game for the Bobcats, as he was sent home to score off an RBI double to left center from Hall to start Frostburg with a 1-0 lead.  The Falcons answered right back, tallying a run off two hits and an error from the Bobcats, as Sharman got out of a bases loaded jam to give up just one run.  Redshirt freshman CJ Carmichael doubled for the lone hit of the third for Frostburg, as Sharman and senior Ryan Adams combined to finish out the inning on the mound, as the Bobcats coughed up three errors leading to the Falcons to score one run to move in front 2-1. 
 
Fairmont continued their energy at the plate in the fourth, sending out another homer before freshman Hunter Layhew rook over on the mound with the Falcons leading 4-1 after four.  Hall and Schalick were both hit by a pitch in the fifth, as Hall scored on an error from Fairmont.  The Falcons continued their offensive rally in their plate appearance of the inning, scoring two more runs off Layhew before sophomore Bryce Hendrick took the mound as Fairmont brought the game to 7-2. 
 
Bouma led off the sixth with a double, advancing to third on a wild pitch.  Wieman then sent out a deep fly ball to right, being credited with a sacrifice fly to sit the score at 7-3.  Sophomore Ben Berger came in to throw the bottom of the sixth, going 1-2-3 in his outing, as Carmichael got on board in the top of the seventh with another double, but was left on base as Frostburg dropped game two 7-3.
 
Bouma led the way offensively with a total of four hits on the day, going for a run and an RBI as well, while Guy and Hall were next with three hits each, combining for three runs and two RBI.  Frostburg's pitching staff combined for nine strikeouts on the day, giving up just three total walks.
 
With the losses, Frostburg finishes their regular season 34-15, while Fairmont goes for a 24-24 record.  Looking forward to the Mountain East Conference Tournament, the Bobcats hold the No. 2 seed of the North Division, as they will play the No. 2 seed of the South, which is represented by West Virginia State, on Thursday, May 8 at 10 AM in GoMart Ballpark.  For more information and updates, please visit frostburgsports.com.