CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- West Virginia State Baseball fell to Frostburg State in their first round game of the Mountain East Baseball Tournament by a final of 9-6 at GoMart Ballpark on Thursday. The Yellow Jackets jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the third, but Frostburg State's offense woke up late in the game and State couldn't recover.

State falls to 27-22 on the season while Frostburg State advances to 35-15.

The game started off quiet with both teams stranding a pari of runners through the first two. WVSU then jumped all over the reigning MEC Pitcher of the Year, Frostburg State's Patrick Bauer in the third inning with Aiden Paulsen slicing a single down the left field line the just stayed fair and then MEC First-teamer Kyle Water blasting a no-doubter over the right field fence, 2-0. Michael Bittinger then hit a single to shallow left field allowing Nate Paulsen to come to bat and he smashed a home run over the left field fence to make it 4-0.

Frostburg State got their first hit of the game in the fourth, a three-run shot to left center, 4-3.

Both teams went down in order in the fifth and stranded runners after a base hit each in the sixth.

WVSU's Aiden Paulsen boarded the bags again when an errant throw by the shortstop put the ball in the turf. The Yellow Jackets then worked three consecutive walks to allow Aiden Paulsen to score and Connor Fizer to earn his 31st RBI of the season. 

Frostburg bats came alive in the bottom of the seventh, chasing three different WVSU pitchers. They scored four runs in the inning to take a 7-5 lead.

Ethyn Barnitz worked a lead off walked and was pinch run for by Nate Bittinger. Bittinger later scored on a Waters single, 7-6. Frostburg State answered with two more in the bottom of the frame to give the game its final score.

Waters, and both Paulsen brothers knocked two hits each. Waters and Nate Paulsen each hit a single and a home run while the younger Paulsen hit a single, a double, and scored two runs. Waters and Nate Paulsen also had three and two RBIs in the game, respectively.

State will play Point Park in a do-or-die game for the Yellow Jackets on Friday, May 9 at 12:00 p.m.