RELEASE DATE: 2/25/12

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mountie Softball Starts Season Right Going 2-1 In North Carolina

SALISBURY, NC – The Mountaineer softball team opened their 2012 season off with recorded two wins in the Catawba College Invitational Saturday in Salisbury, NC.

Mansfield did however open up with a 7-6 loss after nine tough innings versus the always tough, Wingate University. Wingate got things started in their favor by scoring four runs in the first inning. Mansfield couldn't respond until the third, fourth and fifth innings where they scored two, one and two more runs to take the lead 5-4.

It looked like Mansfield had things wrapped up until the bottom of the seventh where Wingate scored the tying run. Mansfield then regained the lead in the ninth with one run while Wingate scored two in the bottom.

Stephanie Simmeth, Kaitlin Kramer and Chara Dixon all had two hits apiece with one of Dixon's being a double. Dixon also led the team with three RBI's.

Caitlin Klobosits pitched six innings allowing five hits and five runs while striking out six batters. Emily Crandell went the remaining 2.2 innings in relief while retiring three batters.

Mansfield then went on to win the second game which should have been played on day one of the invitational along with Wingate. The Mounties pulled out a 2-1 victory over Davis & Elkins College.

Kaitlin Kramer went on to score the winning run as Simmeth had just fouled out to first base. Davis and Elkins College was unaware of the tiny Kramer creeping towards home plate. Before they realized where she was, Kramer had sprinted into a safe slide at home, beating the pass.

Courtney Bauder scored the earlier Mountie run off a reached error by Alanna Jenkins from the second basemen. Bauder also was played a major roll in defense by turning a fly ball to her into a double play by rocketing the ball from right field all the way to third basemen, Allie Earle to finish out the bottom of the seventh.

Liz Pieniazek went the distance working all seven innings. She only gave up two hits and retired four players.
Kate Pratt busted out a double in the Mounties first win of 2012.

The Mountaineers finished off their first actual day of competition with a dominating win over Winston-Salem State 15-1.

Crandell worked all five innings giving up four hits with one of them being a first inning homerun. She also struck out two batters.

The Mountaineer defense did not have much to work with off of Crandell's 68 pitches but the Mountie offense was able to do work with all 110 pitches that Winston-Salem's Yasmin Lee had to offer.

Simmeth led the way with three hits and two RBI's while Courtney Baer was second on the team for her first ever collegiate show with two hits and two RBI's. Pratt, Bauder and Danielle Long all had two RBI's each. Long had the game's only double.

The Mountaineers will play one more game in North Carolina before returning home tomorrow morning. Opponent and time is not yet defined.