FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mansfield Softball splits with No. 12 IUP

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MANSFIELD – Senior Melissa Baer threw a complete game and freshman Stephanie Simmeth and senior Nicole Yost each hit home runs to lead Mansfield to a 6-4 win over No. 12 IUP in the opening game of a PSAC Central doubleheader at Helen Lutes Field Saturday afternoon.

IUP rallied for 12 runs in the final three innings, including six runs in its last at-bat, to pull out a 12-5 win in the nightcap.

In the opener, Mansfield scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Simmeth drew a leadoff walk before senior Janelle Antes doubled down the left field line and both scored on a double by Kate Pratt. Yost then singled in Pratt and later scored on a field's choice by Erin Carroll.

IUP (24-5. 7-3 PSAC Central) chipped away at the lead, scoring a run in the second on an RBI single by Mary Ward and added two more in the top of the fifth on RBI's from Megan McCormick and Stefanie Poates to close to 4-3.

Mansfield (8-13, 1-7 PSAC Central) answered in the bottom of the inning on a solo home run by Simmeth, her first of the season, over the right field fence for a 5-3 lead.

IUP edged to 5-4 with a run in the sixth on a double by Dee Eppinger before Baer struck out Marissa Leslie looking to end the threat.

In the bottom of the inning, Yost led off with a solo home run – her third of the season extending her career home run record to 21 -- on a 1-0 count over the left field fence to give Mansfield some breathing room and a 6-4 lead heading into the top of the seventh.

Baer got the first batter out on a ground ball before hitting Poates with a pitch but then ended the game by getting Bivona to fly out to right field and Ferguson to ground out to second.

Yost went 2-3 with a home run and two RBI to lead the Mansfield offense while Baer scattered eight hits and struck out three to improve to 3-4 on the season.

Erin Holloway took the loss for IUP suffering her second loss in 16 decisions on the season.

In the nightcap, Mansfield committed five errors with IUP scoring 10 unearned runs.

The Mountaineers got the game's first run on an RBI single by Pratt in the first and took a 3-0 lead with two runs in the fourth on RBI singles by Simmeth and Antes.

IUP took the lead with four runs in the top of the fifth, helped by two Mansfield errors before the Mountaineers rallied to retake the lead with two runs in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Danielle Long with the other coming off a passed ball.

IUP retook the lead on a two-run home run by Poates in the top of the sixth to lead 6-5.
Mansfield had the bases-loaded in the bottom of the inning with two outs but couldn't push across the tying run.

IUP got a grand slam from Poates in the top of the seventh and a two-run home run from Ashley Strack to put the game out of reach.

Kate Pratt started for Mansfield and went 4.1 innings striking out three before giving way to freshman Liz Pieniazek who was charged with the loss. Emily Crandell pitched in the sixth and seventh with Caitlin Klobosits getting the final out.

Danielle Long led the offense going 3-3 with a double and driving in a run. Simmeth was 3-4 with a double and RBI. Pratt went 2-4 with an RBI.

Poates led IUP going 2-4 with two home runs and driving in six runs.

Mansfield travels to Clarion on Sunday.