FROSTBURG, Md. – Wesley College's baseball team scored four runs in the ninth inning to defeat Frostburg State, 7-4, in Capital Athletic Conference action on Friday afternoon at Bob Wells Field. The pivotal victory improves the Wolverines to 24-9 overall and 9-7 in the CAC. The Bobcats fall to 17-14 and 8-8 in league play.
Trailing, 4-3, entering the final at bat, the Wolverines had their 9-1-2 hitters due up in the hands of Casey Rothwell, Rob Benedict (0-3, run stolen base) and Jon Carlson. Rothwell led off the rally with a single and Benedict advanced him to third by reaching on a fielding error on a sacrifice attempt. Carlson then hit a grounder to the shortstop which allowed Rothwell to score.
Now tied at four with the heart of the order up, Sam Farnell (1-for-5) drove a shot to the gap in right center which scored Carlson all the way from first. Followed by a Geoff Kimmel walk, Morgan Rupp (1-4, 2 RBI) drove both runners in with a triple down the right field line.
DJ Keckler (6-3), who pitched the final three innings in relief, got the leadoff man to flyout in the ninth before fanning the final two batters of the game to earn the victory.
Jeff Cochran got the nod to start on the hill for the Wolverines and allowed just three runs on three hits in five innings while fanning six Bobcats. Andrew Cooper pitched a scoreless sixth while striking out a pair.
Kimmel and Bryan Reshetar (0-2, RBI) had put the Wolverines on top early in the game with RBIs in the first inning before FSU scored three in its half of the frame. A solo home run by Kimmel in the third, his team-leading fourth of the season, tied the game at three before the Bobcats tacked on a run in the seventh to take a one-run lead.
A senior first baseman, Kimmel went 2-4 with two runs scored and drove in a pair while Rothwell scored a run while going 3-4. Steve Perone also had two base hits on the day.
The same two teams will meet on Saturday, April 13, in a 12 pm doubleheader to wrap up the regular season before the CAC playoffs start on Tuesday, April 17.