FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mansfield improves to 6-2 on the season with sweep at Shaw

Game One Boxscore
Game Two Boxscore

RALEIGH, NC – Stephanie Simmeth and Kate Pratt both rapped out five hits each while Liz Pieniazek and Emily Crandell  threw complete games to lead Mansfield to a 10-3, 10-2 sweep at Shaw University Tuesday afternoon in NCAA Division II softball.

In the opener, Pieniazek scattered four hits and allowed two earned runs while striking out nine to improve to 2-0 on the season.

Mansfield trailed 2-0 after the first inning but chipped away with solo runs in the second, on an RBI single by freshman Alanna Jenkins, and tied the game in the third when Pratt led off with a double and later scored on a passed ball.

The Mountaineers took the lead for good with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth delivered by run scoring singles from Pratt and Chrissy Lauer. MU sealed the win with four more runs in the fifth inning including an RBI single by Lauer.

Mansfield pounded out 17-hits in the win. Stephanie Simmeth went 3-4 with a double and RBI while Lauer was 3-5 with three runs batted in. In addition to her strong performance on the mound, Pieniazek also went 3-4 from the plate. Pratt, Jamie Castellano and Jenkins had two hits apiece.

In the nightcap, Mansfield broke open a 5-2 lead with four runs in the top of the fifth behind Pratt's two-run home run. Courtney Bauder also doubled in a run and Simmeth singled in another in the inning.

Mansfield added a 10th run in the sixth inning on a single by Courtney Baer and Crandell retired Shaw in order in the bottom of the inning to end the game on the eight-run rule.

Crandell scattered three hits over six innings and struck out three to improve to 2-1 on the season.

Pratt led Mansfield's 13-hit attack by going 3-4 with a double, home run and four RBI's.  Simmeth and Bauder each had two hits.
Morgan Jones had a solo home run for Shaw.

Mansfield improves to 6-2 on the season  and travels to Fayetteville State (NC) for a doubleheader Wednesday.