YORK, PA – With their seventh game in seven days, the York College baseball team fell short against the Frostburg State Bobcats by a score of 3-1 this afternoon in Capital Athletic Conference action at Jaquet Field.

The Bobcats are now 17-2 overall and 8-1 in the league while the Spartans fall to 7-5 and 3-3 in the CAC.

A pitcher's duel seemed to be the trend throughout the game as Spartan pitcher Dan Gurganus (Prince Frederick, Md. / Huntingtown) and Bobcat pitcher Greg Schneider buckled down in the first three innings. Gurganus surrendered only two hits while Schneider allowed one.

Zach Weiss led off the top of the fourth with a single to center field. After Weiss advanced to second on a wild pitch and Zach Keeler walked, Lane Farmer roped an RBI double down the left field line, scoring Weiss from second for the first run of the game. The next batter, Jamaal Windom, ripped a two-run single into left field to give the Bobcats the 3-0 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth, Derek Pitzer (York, Pa. / Dallastown) stroked a double to left field. After Sean Mohollen (Rose Valley, Pa. / Strath Haven) reached on a Bobcat error, Michael Moore (East Berlin, Pa. / Bermudian Springs) walked to load the bases. Unfortunately, the Spartans could not take advantage as Dominic Messina (Marlton, N.J. / Camden Catholic) struck out swinging to end the inning. 

As Gurganus escaped a jam in the top of the fifth, the Spartans answered in the bottom half. Logan Countryman (Baltimore, Md. / Loch Raven) singled through the left side and would score from first as Brad Wenzel (Blandon, Pa. / Fleetwood Area) launched an RBI double to deep center field, cutting the Bobcat lead to two.

That lone run in the bottom of the fifth would be it for the Spartans as the final three innings of play were dominated by pitching.

Schneider kept the Spartans off balance throughout the whole game as he allowed one run on five hits in seven innings pitched. He struck out 11 Spartans in his fourth victory of the season. Clayton Freimuth came out of the bullpen for the Bobcats, pitching two innings and striking out five. He earned his first save of the season.

Gurganus suffered his first loss of the season as he allowed three runs on 10 hits in a complete game, nine innings of work. He added five strikeouts.

After the game, Spartans head coach Mike Scappa had nothing but praise for Gurganus, "It was his [Gurganus] best game of the year. This was the best hitting team we've faced and he made a lot of really good pitches. I thought he pitched good enough to win."

Farmer and Weiss led the way for the Bobcats with three hits each. J.T. Tipton, Nick Walker, Nick McElfish, and Windom each tallied a hit in the win. Windom added two RBI while Farmer contributed one. Windom entered the game hitting .083 but his big two-run single proved to be the difference in the game.

For the Spartans, Stephen Miele (Allentown, Pa. / Salisbury), Scott Steffy (Downingtown, Pa. / Downingtown East), Countryman, Pitzer, and Wenzel each tallied a hit. Wenzel had the lone Spartan RBI in the loss. Pitzer and Wenzel each had a double in the loss.

"We don't usually face guys that physical," said Scappa. "The guys need to have a real good approach and win the mental game as well as the physical game."

With their eighth and ninth game in eight days, the Spartans play host to Mary Washington tomorrow, March 28, in a CAC-doubleheader at Jaquet Field. First pitch in game one is slated for 12:00 pm.

Written by Sean Naylor – Athletic Communications Student Assistant

Dan Gurganus photo courtesy of Derek Behrenshausen - Asst. Dir. of Athletic Communications