Mounties Sweep Final Home Doubleheader of Season to Keep Playoff Hopes Alive

MANSFIELD – Ashley Inman picked up wins in each of her final two games at Helen Lutes Field to lead Mansfield to a sweep over Clarion in a key PSAC Central doubleheader Thursday afternoon.

Mansfield won the opener 4-1 on a complete-game by Inman and the senior came on in relief to pick up the win in the nightcap as the Mounties rallied for a 10-9 victory.

In the opener, Inman did not allow a hit for the first two innings but Clarion took a 1-0 lead in the third when Cassie Daniels reached first on a dropped third strike and moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt.
She later scored on a RBI single by Cassidy Runyan.

Mansfield countered with a pair of runs of its own in the bottom half of the inning on a two-run single by Kayla Hahn.

Inman worked her way out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth by striking out the side before the Mountaineers added a run in the fifth on a RBI single by Inman to extend the lead to 3-1.

Mansfield added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when Hahn singled in a run for a 4-1 lead.

Inman pitched her way out of a jam with runners at second and third in the sixth and got the side out in order, including striking out the final two batters in the night, to pick up her eighth win of the season.

The senior scattered six hits and allowed no earned runs while striking out nine. Hahn went 2-4 while knocking in three runs to lead the offense with Inman going 2-3 with an RBI.

The nightcap was one of the most exciting games of the season with the lead changing hands five times.

Clarion jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first and the Mountaineers tied it up with a run of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Melanie Taylor led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a passed ball. She took third on a sacrifice bunt by Koryn Wickwire and later scored on another passed ball.

The Golden Eagles retook the lead in the bottom of the second when Clarion's Taylor Nonnenberg hit a three-run home run to chase Mansfield starter Sierra Storm out of the game.

Clarion held a 4-1 lead until Mansfield tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the third. With two outs, Hahn singled in Wickwire who had led off the inning with a single. One batter later, Laura Lawson launched a towering home run over the right centerfield fence to tie the game at 4-4.

Clarion took the lead right back with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth on Nonnenberg's second home run of the game giving the Golden Eagles a 6-4 advantage.

Mansfield countered with three runs of its own in the bottom half of the inning, two of them coming on a double by Rachael Sterner putting the Mountaineers up 7-6.

Clarion tied it up again with a run in the top of the fifth after Inman came on in relief of freshman Ari Young who had relieved Storm in the second. Inman loaded the bases with no outs before skillfully getting out of the inning allowing just one run.

Mansfield retook the lead at 8-7 with a run in the bottom of the fifth when Kaitlyn Hewitt singled with one out and advanced to second on a single by freshman Leah McGovern. One out later, Taylor singled up the middle to plate Hewitt with the go-ahead run.

The Mountaineers cushioned their lead to 10-7 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on RBI's by Inman and Hewitt.

But Clarion threatened again in the seventh, loading the bases with no outs. The Golden Eagles picked up a run on a ground out and then added another to close to 10-9. However, the lead runner on second tried to take third on the scoring play and was gunned out to end the game.

Inman picked up her second win of the afternoon and her ninth of the season going the final three innings in relief. Lawson hit her fifth home run of the season with Hewitt and McGovern each notching two hits.
Rachel Hoffman went the distance and took the loss for Clarion. Nonnenberg hit two home runs and drove in five runs.

With the sweep, Mansfield improves to 7-11 in the PSAC Central and keeps its playoff hopes alive. The Mountaineers finish up the regular season with a pair of games at IUP on Saturday.
IUP (8-8 PSAC Central) and Pitt-Johnstown (7-9 PSAC Central) are both ahead of Mansfield for the final divisional playoff spot. Both teams play each other in a doubleheader on Friday with IUP hosting Mansfield on Saturday and Pitt-Johnstown playing division-leading Bloomsburg.