RELEASE DATE: 3/14/12

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mansfield extends winning streak to five straight with sweep over Fayetteville State

Box Score - Game 1

Box Score - Game 2

FAYETTEVILLE, NC – Kate Pratt threw a one-hitter in the opener and Caitlin Klobosits struck out 10 batters in the nightcap to lead Mansfield to a 10-0, 6-2 sweep over Fayetteville State Wednesday afternoon in NCAA Division II softball. The sweep extends Mansfield winning-streak to five games and improves the Mountaineers overall record to 8-2.

In the opener, Mansfield scored four times with two outs in the top of the first inning and never looked back. Kate Pratt doubled and scored on a single by Chrissy Lauer. Following a single by Courtney Bauder, Kaitlyn Harris tripled to drive in two more runs before Danielle Long's single plated the fourth run of the inning.

Leading 4-0, the Mountaineers exploded for five more runs in the fourth inning. With two outs, Kaitlin Kramer singled and scored a on double by Pratt. Lauer then singled home Pratt. Harris and Long later added RBI singles to give Mansfield a 9-0 lead with the Mountaineers scoring their final run on a sacrifice fly by Pratt in the fifth.

Pratt was also stellar on the mound, allowing just one hit over five innings in a game shortened by the eight-run rule. She also struck out seven and walked none. She is now 3-0 on the season.

Kaitlin Kramer led a 13-hit offensive attack by going 3-4 from the plate. Harris was 2-3 with a triple and three RBI's while Pratt, Lauer and Long each had two hits.

Maya Washington had the only hit for Fayetteville, a bunt single in the first inning.

In the nightcap, Mansfield scored one run in each of the first three innings with Pratt doubling in a run in the first and Stephanie Simmeth singling in a run in the second. The Mountaineers scored a run in the third, off a Fayetteville State error.

Maya Washington hit a two-run homer for FSU in the sixth to close the gap to 3-2 before Mansfield answered with four runs in the top of the seventh with two of them coming on RBI singles by Bauder and Lauer.

Mansfield had 11-hits in the game led by Simmeth who went 3-3 with two doubles from the plate and an RBI. Pratt, Bauder and Lauer each went 2-4 with an RBI.

The sweep gives the Mountaineers their best start after 10 games since winning their first nine games of the 2010 season.

Mansfield travels to Salem, VA to Davis & Elkins and Ohio Valley in the opening round of the West Virginia Wesleyan Tournament on Friday.