WASHINGTON – The Gallaudet baseball team lost a tough game to Frostburg State University on Wednesday afternoon as the visiting Bobcats scored five runs in the final two innings to escape Hoy Field with an 8-5 victory.

Gallaudet (4-9) scored five runs between the fourth and fifth innings to take a 5-3 lead over the Bobcats (9-4).

Junior catcher Casey Hicks (Henderson, Nev.) walked to start the fourth inning before junior third baseman Chris Guinn (McLoud, Okla.) singled to the pitcher, advanced to second on a throwing error, as Hicks moved to third. Freshman left fielder Chase Magsig (Hudsonville, Mich.) hit a RBI single to plate Hicks and tie the game at 1-1. Junior designated hitter JJ Klein (Cincinnati, Ohio) was batting when Magsig stole second base and Guinn scored on the throw to give the Bison a 2-1 lead.

In the fifth inning, GU second baseman Mitchell Bensman (Russia, Ohio) started off with a single to right field. Senior center fielder William Bissell (Brewer, Maine) singled up the middle and Hicks drew a walk to load the bases. Guinn came through with a two-run single to left field that scored Bissell and Bensman to push the Bison back into the lead up one, 4-3, after the Bobcats scored twice in the top of the fifth. Senior first baseman Jeremy Adams (Glenn Dale, Md.) hit a single to center field to score Hicks as the Bison led 5-3.

Frostburg State scored four runs in the decisive eighth inning as the Bison went through two relief pitchers. FSU catcher Dylan Shupe started off the eighth with a single to left field off junior relief pitcher Tyler Crace (Westfield, Ind.). Crace walked Zach Keeler and plunked J.K. Filauro to load the bases and left the game to make way for sophomore pitcher Brandon Holsworth (Beal City, Mich.), who started last Sunday. Pat Sapp (2-for-5, three runs scored) singled to right field to score Shupe to cut the Bison lead to one, 5-4. Pinch hitter Matt Donaldson followed and hit a sacrifice fly to center field and scored pinch runner Josh Jackson to knot the game at five. The Bison recorded their second out of the eighth on a Bobcat groundout. FSU first baseman Garrett Price (1-for-4) hit a two-run single to right field to clear the bases as Frostburg led 7-5. The Bobcats loaded the bases after Holsworth issued a walk and hit a batter before he recorded the third out as FSU batted around.

The Bobcats added an insurance run in the top of the ninth off sophomore pitcher Larry Kohler Jr. (Union City, Calif.).

Guinn went 2-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored while Bissell went 2-for-4 with a walk and one run scored. Freshman starting pitcher Ryan Rippy (Tullahoma, Tenn.) pitched six innings for the Bison as he surrendered three unearned runs on four hits, walked two and struck out two batters. Crace (2-2) suffered the loss as he tallied one inning, allowed three runs on two hits and one walk in the four-run eighth inning for the Bobcats. The Bison bullpen allowed five runs in three innings on five hits, hit three batters and walked two.

Pat Sapp went 2-for-5 for Frostburg with one RBI and three runs scored. Kenny Georgius (5-0) pitched a scoreless seventh inning to earn his fifth win of the season in just over 14 innings pitched. Georgius gave up no hits in his inning of work and had one strike out. Shupe closed out the game and earned his first save of the season for the Bobcats as pitched the last two innings and allowed one hit, walked two and struck out one. Kyle McCormack, Georgius and Shupe pitched four innings of scoreless relief for the Bobcats.

The Bison will next pack for their Spring Break trip to Florida where they will play seven games next week, including three games against ranked teams. GU will begin with a single game against Clarkson on Sunday, March 17, at 5 p.m.