Sterner and Lawson Homer but Mounties Fall Twice to Pitt-Johnstown

MANSFIELD – Rachael Sterner and Laura Lawson each went yard and a last inning rally in the nightcap came up short as Mansfield dropped a PSAC Central doubleheader to Pitts-Johnstown losing the opener 5-1 before dropping the nightcap 6-4.

The losses dropped Mansfield from a third-place tie in the PSAC Central. The Mountaineers are now tied with Pitt-Johnstown for fourth-place at 5-7 with eight games remaining in conference play.

In the opener, Pitt-Johnstown broke-up a scoreless tie with three runs off Mansfield ace Ashely Inman in the top of the third. Amber Maurer and Morgan Cannin each had an RBI double in the frame.

The Mountain Cats added two more runs in the top of the sixth to extend the lead to 5-0 before Mansfield got on the board in the bottom half of the inning.

Melanie Taylor led off the sixth with a double to left and moved up to third on a fielder's choice before scoring on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 5-1.

In the nightcap, Pitt-Johnstown got to Mansfield starter Sierra Storm early in the game, scoring twice in the top of the first inning before adding two more runs in the third for a 4-0 lead.

The Mountain Cats picked up another run in the top of the fourth to extend the lead to 5-0 before the Mountaineer bats came alive. Coryn Wickwire led off the bottom of the fourth with a single through the left side, followed by a towering home run over the left field fence by Rachael Sterner to cut the score to 5-2.

Pitt-Johnstown picked up another run in the top of the fifth and took a 6-2 lead into Mansfield's final turn at the plate.

Kayla Hahn opened the bottom of the seven with a single to left field followed by a lined shot down the left field line by Laura Lawson for her third home run of the season cutting the lead to 6-4 with no outs.

But Pitt-Johnstown's pitcher Melissa Wagner, who threw every pitch of every inning in both games for the Mountain Cats, retired three of the next four batters to preserve the win.

Sterner's home run was her eighth of the season, tying her with Alison Tagliaferri (2004) for the fourth-most home runs in a single season.

Storm suffered just her third loss in eight games this season. She was relieved by freshman Ari Young who struck out seven batters over the final five innings of the game. Wagner picked up the win for Pitt-Johnstown striking out eight without allowing a walk.

Mansfield travels to division-leading Bloomsburg on Friday before returning the Lutes Field to host Lock Haven for Senior Day on Saturday.