FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mounties Drop Florida Finale to Upper Iowa
CLEARWATER, Fla. – Upper Iowa used a pair of big innings to get past Mansfield in a 9-4 decision Saturday morning at Frank Tack Field in the Mountaineer's Florida finale.
George Alex went 4-5 at the plate with three runs while Mitch Moser threw 7.2 innings with just two earned runs to lead the Peacocks.
Mansfield's
Scott Rockwell extended his hit streak to 10 games with a triple in the first inning.
Upper Iowa (4-7) came out swinging, putting up three runs on four hits and an error in the top of the first.
Mansfield (8-6) countered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning. Rockwell's triple set-up
Zephan Kash who drove in a run with a single up the middle. A
Tanner Klein double in the gap scored Kash from first to bring the Mounties within a run.
After a pair of scoreless frames, the Mountaineers knotted the game at 3-3 with
Matt Kurelja's RBI double to plate
Owen Lukens.
Upper Iowa used another three-run inning in the fifth to take a 6-3 lead as the Peacocks took advantage of two hits and two errors. Two more runs in the top of the seventh gave Upper Iowa an 8-3 lead.
The Peacocks pushed across an insurance run in the ninth.
Wes Custer scored a run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning, but a comeback was not in the cards.
Mansfield starting pitcher
Chase Pepper took the loss with three earned runs, a walk and six strikeouts over 5.0 innings. Moser earned the win while striking out 10.
Kurelja went 2-5 at the plate for Mansfield with an RBI.
The Mountaineers went 3-4 in Florida with a pair of wins against Upper Iowa and an extra inning victory over Rockhurst.
Mansfield opens PSAC Eastern division play at No. 6 Millersville on Friday before hosting the Marauders at Shaute Field the next day.
