KISSIMMEE, Fla. – An early Mansfield lead slipped away as Pace edged out the Mounties 9-6 Tuesday afternoon at Osceola County Stadium.
 
Zach Merkle gave Mansfield (3-5, 0-0 PSAC) an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning with his single up the middle to score Colby Schearer and J.P. Bonanca. However, Pace (5-1-1, 0-0 NE-10) got one back in the bottom of the inning then took a 3-2 lead on a two-run homer in the second inning.
 
In the third inning, Tyler Guidos tied the game at 3-3 with an RBI double to left center to score Merkle.
 
Pace regained the lead in with three runs in the third and two more in the fourth to hold an 8-3 advantage.
 
Merkle drove in another run with an RBI double in the fifth inning to score Brady Mengel then Schearer drilled a two-run homer in the sixth to cut the deficit to two runs at 8-6.
 
Pace added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth and Mansfield would not rally for the win.
 
Schearer went 3-4 at the plate with two runs, two RBIs, and a walk. Bonanca, Mengel, Merkle, and Guidos each collected a pair of hits in the game.
 
Thomas Ippolito earned the win for Pace pitching 5.0 innings with Jake Amoroso picking up the save. Edwin Lopez took the loss.
 
The Mounties play Northwood on Wednesday.