FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Carroll powers Mansfield to sweep over Clarion – Mounties remain in tie for second place in PSAC Central

Game One Boxscore
Game Two Boxscore

CLARION – Erin Carroll homered in both games and Liz Pieniazek tossed a four-hit shutout in the nightcap to lead Mansfield to a 7-8, 5-0 sweep over Clarion in a key PSAC Central doubleheader Friday afternoon.

In the opener, Mansfield rallied from an early 1-0 deficit by scoring three runs in the top of the fourth for a 3-1 lead.  With one out, Kate Pratt tripled to left field and later scored on a two-out single by Chara Dixon. Danielle Long kept the inning alive after reaching base on a dropped third strike before Kaitlyn Harris drilled a two-run single.

The Mountaineers got three more runs in the top of the sixth when Courtney Bauder singled to start the inning and later scored on a wild pitch. After walk by Harris, Carroll blasted a two-run home run for a 6-1 lead.

But Clarion would chase starter Kate Pratt from the mound in the bottom of the sixth, scoring three runs before Emily Crandell came in relief to end the rally.

Pratt improved to 7-2 on the season giving up eight hits and striking out three in 5.2 innings. Crandell recorded her first save of the season after gong the final 1.1 innings of the game.

Pratt went 2-3 with a triple and RBI to lead the offense while Harris and Carroll each had two RBI's.

Julie Sokol went all seven innings to take the loss for Clarion with Amanda Gough, Kacie Memeth and Kristen Wilcox all have two hits.

In the nightcap, Pieniazek put on a dominating performance scattering four hits and striking out two in a game that was halted after the fifth inning by the eight-run rule. Piniazek, who picked up her fourth win in five decisions on the season, struck out two and walked one.

Mansfield scored four runs in the top of the first inning with the big blow coming on a three-run triple by Chara Dixon.

The Mountaineers added another run in fourth on Carroll's leadoff home run and three more in the top of the fifth, two of them coming off a run scoring triple by Courtney Bauder and RBI single by Danielle Long to give Mansfield an insurmountable 8-0 lead.

Bauder and Carroll each had two hits in the game with Dixon driving in three runs while Bauder plated two.

Mansfield, which improved to 19-10 overall, is locked in a tie for second place in the PSAC Central with IUP with each team posting a 7-5 conference mark.

Mansfield has just doubleheaders with IUP Sunday at home and Lock Haven away next weekend in conference play. The top three teams from the division advance to the PSAC playoffs.