FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mounties Pound Out 22 Hits in 17-12 Win Over Upper Iowa
 
CLEARWATER, Fla. – Mansfield pounded out 22 hits to defeat Upper Iowa 17-12 Wednesday afternoon in a slugfest at Jack Russell Stadium.
 
Owen Lukens went 4-6 at the dish with a pair of runs and five RBIs to lead the Mountaineer offense.
 
Upper Iowa (3-5) scored early with a run in the top of the first, but Mansfield responded with Zephan Kash and Tanner Klein driving in runs to give Mansfield (7-4) the 2-1 advantage.
 
The floodgates opened in the third when 11 straight Mounties reached safely before recording the first out of the inning. Mansfield hung 11 runs on eight hits to jump out to a 13-1 lead.
 
The Peacocks would not go away quietly though, tacking on four runs in the top of the fourth. Upper Iowa added four more runs over the fifth and sixth innings to close the MU lead to 13-9.
 
Mansfield responded with two runs in the bottom of the sixth with Ryan Paige and Lukens crossing home. However, the Peacocks added three more runs in the seventh to bring their deficit down to 15-12.
 
The Mountaineers put up two more runs in the eight with Scott Rockwell and Paige scoring.
 
Lukens led seven Mountaineers with multi-hit performances. Rockwell, Kash, Klein and Eric Harms each recorded three hits. Rockwell, Kash and Paige all had three runs apiece.
 
Evan McAndrew earned the win in relief, pitching 2.1 innings with three hits, three earned runs and four strikeouts. Closer Alec Covel had another solid outing for Mansfield, pitching the final 2.1 innings with just one hit and four Ks.
 
Brandon Nicholson took the loss for Upper Iowa, allowing nine earned runs over 2.0 innings.
 
Mansfield's 17 runs scored are the most since downing Kutztown 17-0 last April at Shaute Field while the 22 hits are the most since matching that total in an 18-4 win over Washington Adventist in 2010.
 
Mansfield takes on Rockhurst tomorrow at 3 p.m. at Jack Russell Stadium.