FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mountie softball drops doubleheader at IUP in conference opener

Game One Boxscore
Game Two Boxscore

INDIANA, PA – The Mansfield offensive struggled to get untracked in dropping a PSAC Central doubleheader at No. 25 ranked IUP Tuesday afternoon. Mansfield lost the opener 3-0 before suffering a 2-0 setback in the nightcap.

In the opener Mansfield's Kate Pratt and IUP's Erin Holloway were locked in a scoreless pitching dual through the first four innings until IUP scored all three of its runs on four hits the bottom of the fifth.

Mansfield was limited to two hits by Holloway who struck out 12 and walked one in throwing a complete game to improve to 10-1 on the season.

Pratt, who allowed just one hit over the first four innings, took the loss giving up five hits over five innings with all three runs being earned. She struck out three while walking none.

Pratt was relieved in the Caitlin Klobosits in the sixth who didn't give up a hit while striking two in the sixth.

Mansfield got a two-out double from Kaitlin Kramer in the third and had runners on first and third in the seventh on a walk by Nicole Yost and single by Chrissy Lauer but failed to plate a run.

IUP got RBI's from Megan McCormick, Jen Beaver and Dee Eppinger.

In the nightcap, IUP scored both its runs in the bottom of the second on a two-run single by Eppinger with two outs.

Mansfield, which outhit IUP 4-3 in the game, threatened in the fourth with runners in scoring position and one out. Lauer lead off the inning with a walk and advanced to third on a single by Stephanie Simmeth.
Simmeth stole second giving Mansfield runners at second and third with one out but a strike out and fly out ended the inning with no runs scored.

Mansfield also had two runners on in the fifth and got the leadoff batter on in the sixth when Simmeth opened the inning with a single but couldn't push a run across.

Mansfield, which stranded 10 runners, suffered its third-straight shutout with all three coming to nationally ranked teams.

Melissa Baer started and took the loss giving up three hits and walking four over 4.1 innings. She was relieved in the fifth by freshman Liz Pieniazek who allowed no hits and struck out one over the last 1.2 innings.

Kelly King went the distance to get the win for IUP scattering four hits and striking out six while walking four.

Simmeth had two of Mansfield's four hits in the game.

Mansfield (7-6, 0-2 PSAC Central) is scheduled to host PSAC West foe California on Saturday in the Mountaineers home opener.