MANSFIELD – Arianna Young spun a gem in game one as Mansfield knocked-off division-leading Bloomsburg 5-3 in a Senior Day split on Saturday at Helen Lutes Field.
 
Mansfield (21-12, 9-7 PSAC Central) had bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, but Bloomsburg held on for the 2-0 win in game two.
 
Prior to the game, seniors Kayla Hahn, Laura Lawson, and Nikki Watkins were honored by coaches and teammates as part of the Mountaineers' Senior Day celebration.
 
Mansfield loaded the bases in the bottom of the third when Taylor Chidester drove a sacrifice fly to right field to score Laura Lawson. Melanie Taylor followed with a double into left field to score two more runs and give the Mounties a 3-0 lead.
 
Bloomsburg (23-15, 13-3 PSAC Central) broke up Young's no-hit bid in the top of the fourth, but could not produce a run.
 
In the bottom of the frame, Lawson took a bases-loaded hit-by-pitch to score another run and extend the lead to 4-0. Chidester tacked on the Mounties' fifth run with an infield single to score Lawson.
 
Young surrendered just her second hit at that point in the game in the top of the seventh. Mallory Tomashick took advantage by hitting a two-run homer to shrink the Mansfield lead to 5-2. The Huskies added another run with a bases-loaded groundout before Young ended the game by forcing another groundout.
 
Young moves to 13-5 in the circle this season with just five hits and two walks allowed. The sophomore continues to climb the program single-season wins list where she now sits in fifth. Young is also tied for third in the PSAC in wins.
 
Mansfield totaled 12 hits in the game, but left 13 runners on the base paths. The Mounties loaded the bases four times.
 
In game two, Tomaschik gave the Huskies an early lead with an RBI double into the gap in the top of the first.
 
Mansfield put runners in scoring position in the first, third and fifth innings, but could not push across a run.
 
Bloomsburg added an insurance run in the top of the seventh to lead 2-0.
 
Leah McGovern got aboard in the bottom of the seventh with a lead-off walk before Hahn singled. Lesley Fritz pinch hit and came up big with a single to left field to load the bases. Bloomsburg got the first two outs on forces at home before the final batter fouled out to end the game.
 
Tomaschik earned the complete game shutout, scattering six hits and striking out seven.
 
The Mountaineers left eight runners stranded in the loss.
 
The PSAC Central playoff race continues to heat up with four teams competing for three spots in the division. Bloomsburg leads the pack with a 13-3 divisional mark followed closely by Lock Haven (11-5), IUP (10-6), and Mansfield (9-7).
 
Mansfield hosts IUP on Friday for its home finale at Lutes Field.