Inman and Sterner Lead Mounties Past Bloom in Opening game of Season Finale

MANSFIELD – Ashley Inman scattered seven hits in picking up her ninth win of the season and Rachael Sterner hit her second home run of the year to lead Mansfield a 3-1 win over Bloomsburg in the first game of a PSAC East doubleheader at Helen Lutes Field Sunday afternoon.

Bloomsburg came back to capture the nightcap 15-1.

In the opener, Mansfield got on the board first when Sterner drilled a 2-2 pitch over the left field fence with one out in the second inning for a 1-0 lead.

The Mountaineers added two more runs in the bottom of the fourth when Inman singled with one out. One out later, Laura Lawson added another single before Hanna Secord singled to drive in a run. Melanie Taylor followed with a third straight single to score Lawson giving Mansfield a 3-0 lead.

Inman, starting her third game in three days, cruised through the first four innings giving up just one hit while striking out two and walking none over that span.

Inman got out of a jam in the fifth but senior Courtney Bauder made a diving stab on a hard-hit liner up the middle and then flip the ball to the shortstop turning an inning-ending double-play.

Bloomsburg threatened again in the sixth, advancing runners to second and third with two outs before Inman retired the side unscathed.

In the top of the seventh, Bloomsburg's Emily Mayhew led off with a single and later scored on a two-out single by Anna McElroy cutting the lead to 3-1 before Inman got the last batter of the game to ground out to the pitcher.

Bauder went 2-3 with a double, the 48th of her career putting two behind Kate Pratt on the all-time list. Inman put on an inspirational performance with the complete game win. She struck out four and walked just one in earning her ninth win of the year.

Sarah Bortner started and took the loss for Bloomsburg.

Bloomsburg jumped out early with two run in the first inning of the nightcap and put the game away with seven runs in the sixth inning.

Mansfield got it sole run of the game in the bottom of the fifth when Kaitlyn Hewitt led off with a single before Secord doubled in the run with a drive to the left field fence.

Bloomsburg got home runs from Mayhew, Caitlin O'Connor and Valerie Carcasses. Taylor Parker went the distance to get her 12th win of the season allowing just three hits and striking out six.
Laura Knight started and took the loss for Mansfield.

The doubleheader split was the season finale for the Mountaineers who close out the year with a 12-24-1 overall record.