MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Xavier University of Louisiana's Blair Frederick struck out 17 batters in six innings Thursday, but Bluefield State scored twice in the first inning and twice in the seventh to emerge with a 4-1 baseball victory in the Black College World Series.
        Top-seeded XULA (23-8) will play second-seeded Savannah State (14-6) at 12:30 p.m. Friday in an elimination game at Riverwalk Stadium. The six-team tournament is double elimination.
        Frederick, a left-hander, got his final 17 outs on strikes after JR McRee grounded to shortstop for Bluefield State's first out of the game. But the Big Blue took the lead for good in that inning with two runs — the first on Tanner Brandon's RBI double to right center, the other on a wild pitch that scored Brandon.
        Frederick faced 27 batters, allowing two hits, two runs — both earned — and four walks. He also hit three batters and threw two wild pitches.
        Frederick's strikeout total was one less than the NAIA individual high this season. Including his previous game — a 12-strikeout performance in a victory at Lane — Frederick struck out 29 in his last 13 innings.
        Third-seeded Bluefield State (13-11) increased its lead after Frederick departed to 4-0 on a pair of seventh-inning runs — both unearned because of a two-out infield throwing error. XULA answered in its half of the seventh — and averted its first shutout of the season — when Jose Fulgencio walked with the bases loaded to force home Dillon Cousin with two out.
        Bluefield State will play the other unbeaten team of the BCWS, Florida Memorial, at 4 p.m. Friday for the right to advance to Saturday's championship round. The XULA-Savannah State winner will play the Bluefield State-Florida Memorial loser at 7:30 p.m. Friday in an elimination game.