April 30th, 2023 by WCBC Radio

 The Frostburg State Baseball team swept Notre Dame College (Ohio) in their road doubleheader on Saturday, winning by scores of 5-1 and 15-0.



Throughout the first three innings game one, sophomore starter Jacob Stretch and the FSU defense kept the NDC offense quiet with nine consecutive outs. On the other side, the Falcons matched that energy and gave nine quick outs right back to FSU. The action started for both teams in the fourth inning, when in the top half junior Ethan Kiple made great contact with the ball and sent one over the fence in left-center for a 1-0 lead. NDC tied the game after four straight two-out walks to make the score 1-1.



Senior AJ Campbell wanted some of the action, as he hit a solo home run of his own in the fifth to go back up 2-1. FSU was able to earn three more outs and no more runs scored, taking them into the sixth, where Kiple hit his second homer of the day, setting the career program record at 31. 



Stretch continued to silence the Notre Dame bats in the sixth, allowing his offense to provide some much-needed insurance runs. Campbell found contact with the ball earning a single, scoring sophomore Cy Probst across home plate 4-1 after the latter walked and reached second on a sac bunt by sophomore Christian Shertzer. Senior Aronne Dutton pinch ran for Campbell and scored the last run of the game on an RBI single from sophomore Randy Steen. Stretch finished off his complete game with an easy 1-2-3 seventh, giving FSU the game one win 5-1.



The Bobcats came out right away in game two, with Randy Steen singling to first and stealing second. Sophomore Danny Estrada grounded out to second but Steen was able to reach third, then a sacrifice fly by Kiple scored him for a 1-0 lead. Freshman Joe Pippin was fantastic on the mound, throwing a scoreless first two innings, allowing only two baserunners. 



In the top of the third, senior Andrew Smith was first to bat, cranking a solo shot into left field, putting FSU up 2-0. Junior Stafford Allison earned a single and stole second, followed by a walk to Estrada and both runners stealing to get into scoring position. Sophomore Mikey Guy would send them both home after hitting a double to left field for a 4-0 advantage. Guy was able to steal third and score as senior Trevor Jones doubled to left center. Jones then was plated on Probst's single to right field, making the score 6-0 going into the bottom of the third. 



The Falcons got a couple of baserunners on in their half of the third, but this time Pippin was helped out by his defense, as a smooth 6-4-3 double play took things to the fourth. Right of the bat, Allison hit a solo homer, FSU's fifth of the day, making the score 7-0. As the lineup card turned over, Steen was up to bat again and hit a single, then added two more stolen bases to his stat sheet as he took second and third base, eventually being brought home on a Guy single to left. The latter then took two bases on a single from Jones and scored FSU's ninth run off of a single by Probst to go up 9-0. 



Pippin spun a perfect fourth in his final action of the day, setting the stage for Estrada to launch a ball to right field, putting the Bobcats up 10-0. Smith came on in relief and worked around a lead-off single and a walk to keep the combined shutout going. Senior Hayden McLaughlin walked to lead off the sixth, eventually coming around to score on another Steen RBI single. Freshman Steven Tameris was next up to shut down the Falcon offense, as again his defense aided him in a sparkling 4-6-3 twin killing that ended the bottom of the sixth. 



With his third homer of the day to start the seventh, Kiple set yet another FSU record, this time the single-season home run record with his 17th of the year. The Bobcats would see three more runs to end the day, with sophomore Jerry Crispino, McLaughlin and freshman Bryce Curry crossing home plate, as the latter scored the first two, while being plated himself by junior Lucas Gulczynski. Sophomore Will Ricketts sat down the side in the final frame, securing Frostburg's second shutout of the season while completing the Saturday sweep 15-0. 



With the two wins today, FSU moves to an overall record of 25-18, while Notre Dame falls to 10-30. The sides are back in action on Sunday, April 30 as they play one another in their second doubleheader of the weekend starting at 1 pm. For more information visit frostburgsports.com.