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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Pratt Rips Two Home Runs Including Grand Slam to Lead Mansfield to Sweep Over IUP – Mounties One Win Away From PSAC Playoff Berth

INDIANA, Pa. – Kate Pratt ripped two home runs, including a grand slam in the nightcap, to lead Mansfield to a key sweep over IUP in a PSAC Central doubleheader Saturday afternoon.

The sweep was critical to Mansfield's playoff run, solidifying the Mountaineers third, and final playoff spot, in the PSAC Central. The wins also give Mansfield a tie-breaker over IUP and put the Mountaineers three games up over IUP in the win column.

Mansfield can clinch a PSAC playoff berth with at least a split with last-place Clarion on Sunday.

In the opener, Mansfield rallied from a 6-3 deficit with four runs in the top of the sixth and got a scoreless relief performance from freshman Ashley Inman over the final 5.1 innings to earn the victory.

Mansfield scored first, getting two runs in the top of the first when Courtney Bauder doubled and two IUP errors led to two Mountaineer runs.

IUP answered with four runs in the bottom of the inning after Mansfield ace Caitlin Klobosits uncharacteristically walked three of the first five batters she faced in blustery cold conditions. Three of the four runs were unearned after a Mountaineer error.

IUP added two more in the bottom of the second to take a 6-1 lead with Inman replacing Klobosits on the mound with two outs.

Mansfield closed to 6-3 with a run in the third when Pratt and freshman Megan Miller had back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. Pratt later scored on a fielder's choice by Kaitlyn Harris.

The Mountaineers staged a remarkable rally in the sixth. After the first two batters were retired, senior Chara Dixon drilled a solo home run to close to 6-4. Stephanie Simmeth was hit-by-a-pitch and Bauder walked before Pratt belted a three-run home run giving Mansfield a 7-6 lead.

Inman retired the side in order in the bottom of the sixth but IUP led off the bottom of the seventh with a single. However Inman got the next hitter to hit into a double play before retiring the final batter on a ground out.

Inman had her second straight clutch relief performance, scattering four hits over 5.1 innings while striking out four and walking none.
Pratt, who hit her 12th home run of the season in the opener, went 2-4 with three RBI's to lead the offense. Inman picked up the win to improve to 2-0 on the season.

In the nightcap, Mansfield opened with a run in the top of the first on a sac fly by Inman.

IUP countered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning on a two-run home run by Jasa Mitchell off Mountaineer starter Emily Crandell.

Mansfield scored what would prove to be the winning runs in the second when Harris, Dixon and Simmeth all drew one out walks to load the bases. Another walk to Bauder plated the first run of the inning before Pratt cleared the bases with a grand slam to take a 6-2 lead. The final run of the inning came off a RBI single by senior Danielle Long.

After IUP scored a run in the bottom half of the second to cut the lead to 7-3, Mansfield erupted for four more runs in the top of the fourth with the big blow coming on a three-run double by freshman Taylor Stupski.

Pratt relieved Crandell in the fourth and didn't allow a run the rest of the game, striking out four and walking just one to earn the win. Bauder went 2-4 in the game while Pratt hit her 13th home run of the season, the second most in the PSAC. She also ranks third in the conference with 37 RBI's on the season. She went 4-8 with two home runs and seven RBI on the day.

Alexa Campbell started and took the loss for IUP with Kaylee Prendergast going 3-4.

Mansfield improves to 19-11 overall and 6-4 in the PSAC Central. The Mountaineers travel to Clarion for a PSAC Central twinbill on Sunday.