Inman and Chidester Power Mounties past Lock Haven in Extra Innings

MANSFIELD – Ashley Inman homered and went all nine innings in the circle while Taylor Chidester's two-out single in the bottom of the ninth resulted in the winning run as Mansfield knocked off Lock Haven 3-2 in extra innings in the opening game of a PSAC East doubleheader Friday afternoon on Helen Lutes Field.

Lock Haven won the nightcap 8-0.

Inman gave Mansfield an early lead when she drilled a 1-1 pitch over the centerfield fence to lead off the bottom of the third for her first home run of the season and a 1-0 Mountaineer lead.

Lock Haven tied score in the top half of the fourth inning after Michelle Holweger doubled with one out before Jodi Weaknecht delivered a two-out single drive in a run knotting the score at 1-1.

The Bald Eagles took the lead with a run in the top of the sixth on a leadoff home run by Nicole Smith.

Mansfield trailed 2-1 going into the bottom of the seventh. After the first two batters struck out, senior Courtney Bauder laced a double that hit the fence in left centerfield and score one batter later when Chidester singled through the right side of the infield to score Bauder and send the game into extra innings.

Inman got out of a bases-loaded jam in the top of the eighth. McKenna Garlock led off with a double for the Bald Eagles and Holweger followed with an infield single to put runners on first and second. Inman struck out the next batter on three straight pitches before a sacrifice bunt moved the runners to second and third with two outs.  Jessie Probst was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Inman ended the threat but getting the final batter to ground out to third.

Lock Haven got a runner in scoring position again in the ninth when Smith singled with two outs and advanced to second on a wild pitch before the inning ended on a fly out to right field.
Freshman Melanie Taylor singled with one out in the bottom half of the inning and one out later, Chidester smashed a single past the second baseman that got past the center fielder rolling to the fence and allowing Taylor to score the winning run from first.

Inman went all nine innings in her longest outing of her career striking out five and walking one to improve to 6-8 on the season. Chidester was 3-5 with an RBI and Taylor went 2-4.

Rachel Mouillesseaux went the distance for Lock Haven allowing eight this and striking out 11.

In the nightcap, Lock Haven's Jessie Probst shut down Mansfield's offensive attack allowing just two Mountaineer hits by Amanda Goodwin and Kayla Hahn. Smith hit her second home run of the afternoon in the first inning.

Chelsey Heatley stated and took the loss. She was relieved by Laura Knight and Sierra Storm.

Mansfield travel to Millersville on Saturday.