Pepper Shuts Down Bloom in Split

MANSFIELD – Chase Pepper threw a complete-game four-hitter to lead Mansfield to an 8-2 win over Bloomsburg in the nightcap of a PSAC East doubleheader at Shaute Field Friday afternoon.
Bloomsburg won the opener 9-1.

In the nightcap, Mansfield scored twice in the bottom of the first when Taylor Hillson reached base on a Bloomsburg throwing error and moved to third on a single by Scott Rockwell. Rockwell took second on the throw. After one out, Dalton Lewis lifted a sacrifice fly to left to drive in Hillson and Rockwell advanced to third on a wild pitch. Tanner Klein then singled through the right side on a 0-2 count with Rockwell scoring on the hit.

Mansfield added two more runs in the fourth with Owen Lukens drawing a one out walk and later scoring on a RBI single by Peter Pena. Zach Merkle, who had earlier reached base on an error, also scored on a fielding error on Pena's single giving Mansfield a 4-0 lead.

Klein doubled in a run in for Mansfield in the fifth inning, increasing the lead to 5-0 before Bloomsburg would get on the scoreboard when Damin Muth hit a two-run home run in the top of the sixth.
Mansfield countered with three runs in the bottom half of the inning. Merkel drew a walk to lead off the inning and was pinch ran for by Mike Jankowski who moved to third base on a single by Ryan Paige. Hillson then doubled to drive in Jankowski with Paige advancing to third. Rockwell drove in Paige on a sacrifice fly by Rockwell and Hillson advanced to third. Hillson would score moments later on a wild pitch for the third run of the inning and an 8-2 Mansfield lead.

Pepper was masterful on the mound throughout the game, limiting Bloomsburg to just two hits over the first five innings. The sophomore picked up his third win in five decision on the season, striking out six and walking two.

Klein went 2-2 with a double and two RBI's to lead the offense. Hillson was 2-4 with a double and run batted in while Rockwell had two hits in three at-bats with an RBI.
Mansfield never got its offense untracked against Bloomsburg starter Mike Warren in the opener.

Senior Tommy Alexander had control problems early in the game hitting two of the first three batters he faced before giving up a grand slam to Joey Casselberry.

Mansfield scored its only run in the second inning when Klein led off with a single and later scored off a Bloomsburg error.

The two teams meet again tomorrow afternoon for a doubleheader in Bloomsburg