SALEM, Va. – Rachael Sterner's three-run homer ended the game in five innings as Mansfield cruised to an 9-1 victory over Millersville on Sunday morning with a shorthanded staff due to the flu.
 
Millersville (5-6) threatened with a pair of runners in scoring position with two outs in the top of the first inning, but starting pitcher Ari Young forced a ground out to keep the Marauders off the board. Mansfield (5-3) set up the same situation in the bottom of the first with Laura Lawson and Taylor Chidester advancing to second and third. Back-to-back RBI singles by Koryn Wickwire and Melanie Taylor gave Mansfield a 2-0 lead.
 
After a scoreless second inning, Wickwire led-off the bottom of the third with a single and later scored on a Leah McGovern RBI to make it a three-run lead for the Mounties.
 
Alli McGovern and Chidester opened the fourth inning with a pair of singles. Sterner plated McGovern before a Wickwire double brought in Chidester to give Mansfield a 5-0 lead.
 
Millersville pushed its first run across in the top of the fifth, drawing a bases-loaded walk.
 
In the bottom of the inning, Chelsea Smith laced a one-out double to center field then Alli McGovern switched places with her double in the gap. Chidester got aboard with a walk and moved into scoring position along with Smith on a sacrifice bunt. Sterner drilled her third home run of the season to score three runs and end the game early.
 
Young scattered eight hits and allowed just one earned run to improve to 4-1 on the season. The sophomore struck out two batters and issued three walks.
 
Cassidy Pinchorski was hit with the loss.
 
Alli McGovern went a perfect 4-4 at the plate with two runs scored and an RBI while Wickwire went 3-3 with two RBIs and a run scored.
 
Mansfield will travel south to Myrtle Beach for and eight-game slate beginning Monday afternoon.