Marauders' bats break out to advance in NCAA Atlantic Regional

Friday, May 17

East Stroudsburg, PA

11:00 AM

Millersville University

38-15

Frostburg State

37-16

Millersville

Frostburg State

Photo by: Taj Falconer

Marauders' bats break out to advance in NCAA Atlantic Regional

5/17/2024 2:19:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: Ethan Hulsey, Director of Athletic Communications

EAST STROUDSBURG, Pa. - Everyone at Creekside Park knew it was gone the moment the ball left Mark McNelly's bat in the top of the eighth inning, and with that two-run home run went Millersville's losing streak and prolonged slump. Millersville recorded its most hits since March and staved off elimination in the NCAA Atlantic Regional with a nailbiting, 8-6 win over Frostburg State.

Even with a rejuvenated offense, Millersville (38-15) needed its pitching staff to deliver with the game on the line. Frostburg State (37-16) loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the ninth and pulled within two before Colby Gromlich struck out Ryan Bouma looking on four pitches to preserve the win. Frostburg State put at least one runner on base in eight of nine innings but stranded 16.

McNelly accounted for three of Millersville's 12 hits, drew a walk, drove in four runs and scored twice. Sam Morris also drove in two runs with two hits. Morris put the Marauders on the board with a two-out RBI single in the first inning. McNelly broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the second with a two-run single, and his home run in the eighth gave Millersville an 8-4 lead and some much-needed breathing room. It was his first home run since March 16.

Millersville starting pitcher Alex Mykut (10-2) became the ninth Marauder to record a 10-win season. Mykut allowed three runs in the first two innings, and it could have been much worse as Frostburg State stranded two runners in each of the first three. With the Marauders holding a slight 4-3 lead in the third, Mykut left escaped a jam with a strikeout. He retired eight of the next 10 hitters before facing all-region first baseman Ethan Kiple with two on and two out. Mykut fanned Kiple with a diving slider on a 1-2 count.

Relievers Evan Rishell, Cole Fisher and Alex Kuehn took Millersville into the bottom of the ninth, but Kuehn quickly ran into trouble. He was pulled after surrendering a leadoff single and walk. Gromlich loaded the bases by walking the pinch-hitting Ryan Hesler on four pitches. Gromlich then fell behind leadoff hitter Jackson Schalik 2-0 but battled back and struck out Schalick. Danny Estrada's ground ball to second base was the second out, but it also pushed in a run, cutting Millersville's lead to 8-6. Looming on-deck was Kiple, who already had three hits in the game. Millersville elected to intentionally walk Kiple, putting the winning run on first base. The strategy proved sound, and Gromlich rewarded Millersville's staff with a strikeout of Bouma.

Millersville now plays the loser of Friday's East Stroudsburg/Seton Hill game on Saturday at 11 a.m. If Millersville wins Saturday's early game, it will play again at 2 p.m.