FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mounties Stumble in Opening of West Virginia Wesleyan Challenge

SALEM, Va. – Amanda Goodwin had an RBI triple but the Mounties struggled offensively in the opening of the West Virginia Wesleyan Challenge in Salem, Va. on Friday. The Mounties fell 5-1 to Le Moyne and 8-0 to West Virginia Wesleyan, the nation's 13th-ranked team.

Ashley Inman started the first game by hitting the leadoff batter but quickly recovered as she retired the next three Le Moyne batters to end the top of the first inning. 

After a clean bottom of the first by Dolphins starter Alexis Eastman, Le Moyne singled to start the second but Inman forced a double play. With two outs, Mackenzie Dreher sent a solo homer over the fence in right center for the first run of the game. 

Eastman struck out a pair of Mounties in the bottom of the second before Inman allowed a single in the top of the third. She recovered by retiring the next two batters leaving the score at 1-0.

Alexis Eastman led off the top of the fourth with a single through the middle. A sacrifice bunt advanced Eastman to second before Andrews struck out. Despite the strikeout, Andrews reached first on an error. With runners on the corners, Allison Reynolds singled to right scoring Eastman. The Dolphins then stranded runners on second and third after Inman forced a duo of ground outs.

Kayla Hahn walked and Inman reached on a fielder's choice before the Mounties notched their first hit of the game in the bottom of the fifth when Leah McGovern singled to right. A strike out ended the inning with the Mountaineers leaving two on.

The Dolphins separated in the top of the sixth when they scored three runs thanks to a bases-clearing double down the left field line by Sabrina Riley. Trailing 5-0 in the bottom of the sixth, the Mounties scored their first run of the game after Laura Lawson singled and Amanda Goodwin later knocked her in on a triple laced to left field. 

The score remained 5-1 through the end of the game. Ashley Inman completed all seven innings of the game but her record dropped to 3-4. Goodwin's RBI triple increased her season total to nine (second-most among Mounties).

West Virginia Wesleyan came out swinging in the second game of the Friday doubleheader. The Bobcats scored three runs in the top of the first on a pair of hits and an error. 

After an inning and a half of perfect softball, West Virginia Wesleyan extended their lead to 9-0 in the top of the third. Brooklyn Waddell hit a two-run homer to center to start off the inning. Thanks to another four hits in the inning, the Bobcats plated two more runs before Ari Young forced an inning-ending popup. Young came on in relief after starter Sierra Storm struck out a pair during her two innings of work.

Bobcats starter Sakaya Foley held the Mounties without a hit until the bottom of the fourth when Melanie Taylor sent a double down the left field line. The double was Taylor's fifth of the season and she finished the day second on the team with a .353 batting average.

The Mountaineers bats started to come alive in the bottom of the sixth when Laura Lawson singled on a bunt. Rachael Sterner followed with a single to third but the Mounties left both runners on to end the inning.

West Virginia Wesleyan added their eighth run in the top of the seventh on a wild pitch. Brooke Roys finished the game for the Mounties with two solid innings of work including a strikeout. Combined with Ari Young, who came on in middle relief, the freshmen held the 13th-ranked Bobcats to only two runs on eight hits over the final five innings of the game.

Sierra Storm (2-1) took her first loss of the season. Laura Lawson led the Mounties offense going a combined 2-for-5 with a run scored. Mansfield's record now stands at 6-8 putting them in fourth in the PSAC Central standings.

The Mounties will look to rebound tomorrow as they continue the West Virginia Wesleyan Challenge in Salem. Mansfield takes on Fairmont State at 10 a.m. followed by a noon matchup against Concord.