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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  Bauder Triple Rallies Mansfield to Win in Game Two and  Sweep of Lock Haven on Senior Day – Mounties Move Into Tie With Bloom For Second Place One Game Behind LHU

MANSFIELD – Courtney Bauder's two-run triple rallied Mansfield to a win in the nightcap and Bauder and Stephanie Simmeth each drove in three runs to back up Caitlin Klobosits' complete game in the opener as Mansfield swept Lock Haven in a key PSAC Central doubleheader before a large Senior Day crowd at Helen Lutes Field.

Mansfield won the opener 8-2 behind Klobosits 11th win of the season and rallied to take the nightcap 5-4 on Bauder's triple and some late-game pitching heroics from Emily Crandell.

“They're big wins,” said a smiling head coach Edith Gallagher. “I'm so pleased that it happened on Senior Day for a special group of senior players. Now we have to do it again tomorrow at Bloom.”

Seniors Chara Dixon, Danielle Long and Caitlin Klobosits were all honored prior to the start of the doubleheader.

The sweep, which marks the first time Lock Haven has been swept this season, moves Mansfield into a second-place tie in the PSAC Central with Bloomsburg. Both teams are 10-4 in conference play and trail Lock Haven (11-3) by one game for the PSAC Central title. All three teams play regular season ending doubleheaders tomorrow with Mansfield traveling to Bloomsburg and Lock Haven hosting IUP.

Lock Haven, Mansfield and Bloomsburg have already clinched spots in next week's PSAC Championship, but the division title and tournament seeding will be determined after the results of tomorrow's games.

In the opener, Mansfield got to Lock Haven ace Brianna Jennings for three runs in the bottom of the third to break a scoreless tie.  Simmeth drove in the game's first two runs with a two-out double and later scored on a single by Kate Pratt.

The Mountaineers added five more in the fourth inning. Senior Chara Dixon started things off with a one-out, bases-loaded single to drive in the first run of the inning  to chase Jennings from the game. With the bases still loaded, Bauder tripled down the right field line to drive in three runs before scoring herself on a double by Simmeth giving Mansfield an 8-0 advantage.

It looked like the Mountaineers would win the game on the eight-run rule but with two outs in the fifth inning, Lock Haven scored a run off an outfield collision on a line drive to extend the game.

Lock Haven's Nicole Smith hit a solo home run in the top of the seventh make the final score 8-2.

Klobosits was outstanding on the mound, scattering six hits and striking out three to improve to 11-4 on the season. It marked the first time since Kristen Dean posted an 11-11 record in 2006 that a Mountaineer pitcher has won 11 games in a season.

Mansfield's first two batters, Bauder and Simmeth, combined to go 5-7 in the game and drive in six RBI with Simmeth hitting two doubles.
In the nightcap, Lock Haven took a 2-0 lead on a two-run home run by Nicole Smith off Mansfield starter Kate Pratt in the third.

Mansfield tied the game in the fifth when Kaitlyn Harris led off with a single and moved to third on a double freshman Taylor Stupski . One out later, Bauder walked to load the bases before Simmeth singled up the middle drive in two runs.

Lock Haven countered with lead-off back-to-back home runs to start the sixth inning by Chelsea Edwards and Brianna Jennings to chase Pratt from the circle and take a 4-2 lead.

Mansfield answered right back in the bottom half of the inning when senior Danielle Long led off with a single and moved to second one out later on a single by Harris. Stupski walked to load the bases and senior Chara Dixon drove in a run with a fielder's choice to cut the lead to 4-3.

Bauder then delivered her second triple of the day when she drove a ball to the centerfield wall to score what proved to be the two winnings runs.
Crandell, who came into the game after Lock Haven's two home runs in the sixth, retired all three batters she faced in that inning and got the first two out in the top of the seventh.

With two outs, Smith singled on a two-strike count to keep  Lock Haven hopes intact and a Mansfield error gave LHU runners on first and second before Crandell fanned the final batter on a 2-2 count to end the contest.

Crandell allowed just one hit over the final two innings while striking out two to earn her first win of the season.
Simmeth, Long and Harris each had two hits in the game.

Jennings also got the loss in game two to fall to 20-4 on the season.

Mansfield improves to 24-12 overall and 10-4 in the PSAC Central. The sweep also gives the Mountaineers a boost for a NCAA regional playoff spot. Mansfield was ninth in the latest NCAA regional poll released earlier this week while Lock Haven was third. The top eight teams in the final poll advance to the NCAA regional playoffs.

Mansfield and Bloomsburg split their earlier doubleheader this season.