Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

BLOOMSBURG – The Mansfield University softball team took division-leading Bloomsburg down to the wire in two thrilling extra inning affairs, but the Huskies used late inning heroics in both ends of the doubleheader to come away with 4-2 and 6-5 victories Tuesday afternoon at Hutchinson Field.

In the opener, Mansfield struck early in the top of the first inning when sophomore Kate Pratt put a two-out home run over the fence in center field to give the Mountaineers the early 1-0 lead.

The Huskies threatened to answer Mansfield's run in the bottom of the inning when sophomore Mandi Bear stroked a lead-off double to left field then advanced to third on a fly ball. However, the Mountaineer defense managed to strand the tying run at third.

Bloomsburg recorded hits in each of the next two innings, but Mansfield refused to allow a run to cross the plate as the game remained 1-0 in the Mounties' favor.

In the sixth inning, Mansfield's Danielle Long scored the second run of the game with a round-tripper over the left field fence to lead 2-0. The hit marked Long's second home run of the season.

Bloomsburg cut their deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth when Baer reached home on a sacrifice fly to right field by Rachel Fredell.

Mansfield failed to push across an insurance run in the top of the seventh after a 1-2-3 inning.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Huskies' Mandy Leach hit a lead-off single before advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt. A pinch hit single by Kayla McHale the very next at bat put runners on the corners with just one out. A sacrifice fly by Raychel Kuhns brought home Leach to knot the game at 2-2.

Bloomsburg failed to score another as the game moved into extra innings.

In the top of the eight, senior Erin Carroll was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt after reaching with a lead-off walk. Two batters later, sophomore Stephanie Simmeth drew a two-out walk to put runners on first and second, but Mansfield couldn't plate the go-ahead run.

The Huskies Erika Yanora led-off the bottom of the eighth with a walk, before Sam Pientack ended the game with a two-run walk-off homer to left field.

Kate Pratt took the loss after tossing 7.0 innings in the circle. The sophomore allowed three earned runs on seven hits while fanning four batters.

Cait Paine gave up two earned runs on four hits to earn her 14^th win of the season. The junior struck out 14 batters in the opener.

In the nightcap, it was Bloomsburg who was first to put a run on the board when Rachel Freddell brought home Mandi Baer on an RBI single through the left side.

After a scoreless second frame, Mansfield went on the offensive in the third inning, scoring four runs to lead the Huskies 4-1.

The rally started when junior Kaitlin Kramer hit a lead-off single and reached second base on a throwing error. Sophomore Kate Pratt singled to left and later stole a base to put runners at second and third with no outs. The very next at bat, junior Chara Dixon roped an RBI double through the first base side to bring home Kramer and tie the game at 1-1.

With two runners in scoring position, junior Danielle Long singled up the middle, scoring Pratt. A throwing error by the Huskies on the play allowed Long to move to third and Dixon to reach home as the advantage increased 3-1 in the Mounties favor. One wild pitch later, the Mounties tacked on another run as Long reach home safely.

However, a solo shot in the fourth inning and a two-run blast in the fifth by Bloomsburg knotted the game at four runs apiece.

Both sides recorded hits in the sixth and seventh innings, but failed to bring home runs in the bone-chilling weather as the game moved into extra innings.

Hannah Moir's lead-off single in the in the bottom of the ninth was the first hit of extra innings as each team struggled to get runners aboard. However, the Huskies stranded the runner as the game moved into the 10^th inning.

Dixon started the 10^th inning on second base via the international tie breaker rule before being moved to third on a sacrifice bunt. The stalemate was broken when Long cracked an RBI double to bring home Dixon and give Mansfield the 5-4 lead. The Mounties were unable to plate another run as they went into the bottom of the inning holding a one-run advantage.

With Baer placed on second, Mansfield intentionally walked Sam Pientack. Fredell's ground out to the short stop advanced runners to second and third before the Mounties struck out the very next batter. However, Mansfield plated Baer on a wild pitch to tie the game at 5-5.

Senior Mandi Leach's RBI single up the middle brought home the second run of the inning and gave Bloomsburg their second walk-off hit of the day.
Kramer went three-for-four in game two with a walk and a run while Dixon was two-of-five with two runs.

Sophomore Emily Crandell took the loss, pitching 4.1 innings in relief while giving up just two hits and one earned run. Junior Caitlin Klobosits earned a no decision after pitching the opening 5.1 innings.

Bloomsburg's Cait Paine earned her second win of the day pitching 7.2 innings and striking out seven.

Mansfield is back in action when they travel to Clarion University on Friday.