MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - No. 20 Millersville and Frostburg State traded punches early, but Joe Morrissey's work in relief and offensive production from the bottom of the lineup helped Millersville pull away for its seventh consecutive victory by an 8-3 final. 

Both teams entered the day ranked in the NCBWA Atlantic Region poll after meeting in last season's NCAA regional. In a mid-week game with both teams playing conference games on Friday, the bullpen played a key role, and Millersville's was better. Morrissey (1-0) entered in the third with a runner on base, and while the Bobcats scored two in the inning, he did not surrender another until the eighth. He worked 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on seven hits and a walk with six strikeouts, earning his first win as a Marauder. 

"Joe put together another quality appearance," said Millersville head coach Jon Shehan. "He held down the middle innings...He gets into a rhythm. He struggled out of the stretch with runners on base in his first inning, but he figured it out. He's got three pitches on the plate which makes him tough to hit."

It was a day of career firsts for the Marauders, as freshman catcher Troy Chamberlin delivered a pair of timely hits. His second-inning single was the first hit of his Millersville career, and it advanced a runner, eventually leading to Millersville's second run of the game. In the third, with two outs and Millersville trailing 3-2, Chamberlin lined a single to left, plating Sam Morris for his first career RBI. Amani Jones immediately followed with an RBI double, giving Millersville a lead it would not relinquish. 

"Chamberlin got the start, and you never know who it is going to be on a given day," said Shehan. "I'm really proud of Troy. He's been working really hard putting in extra time in the cage and figuring things out swing wise. You can see his confidence getting better, and our staff has done a good job helping him prepare."

Jimmy Kirk, Chamberlin, and Jones--hitting in the Nos. 6-8 spots in the lineup--combined for six of Millersville's eight hits and totaled three runs, two RBIs, and all three drew a walk. No. 9 hitter Donis Rodriguez also drove in a run. 

Millersville scored a run in each of the first five innings and led 8-3 before Frostburg State made the game interesting with a solo homer from Mikey Guy in the eighth and a Jackson Schalick run-scoring single in the ninth. But with the tying run on deck, Gavin Lill entered from the bullpen and notched his first career save with a fly out and ground out against the Bobcats' No. 2 and No. 3 hitters. 

Millersville improved to 4-0 all-time against Frostburg State and is now a perfect 9-0 at Cooper Park this season. 

"(Frostburg State coach) Anthony Williams does a great job," said Shehan. "You know they are going to come in prepared, put together good at-bats and throw some good arms at you. Anytime you play a good team like that and come away with a victory, it's a good thing." 

PSAC East play begins Friday when Millersville hosts Shepherd for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.