MANSFIELD – Anastasia Hester had four hits, including a double, but it wouldn't be enough as Mansfield dropped PSAC Central twin ball at IUP Friday afternoon.
 
Mansfield (7-12, 5-9 PSAC Central) lost the opener 9-1 with IUP (14-10, 8-4 PSAC Central) scoring five runs in the bottom of the fifth. IUP came from behind to win the backend of the doubleheader 5-3.
 
In the first game, IUP scored two runs in the first inning off Sierra Storm before adding a run in the third and fourth frames. Mansfield cut the lead 4-1 after Hester led off the fifth inning with a double and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Leah McGovern.

IUP would add five more runs off Storm and Connor Decker to take the 9-1 victory in the fifth.

Hester topped the offense with two hits while doubling and scoring a run. Four Hawks tallied two hits. Lauren Zola picked up the win while Storm was dealt the loss.
 
Game two opened with an early run from IUP before a delayed retaliation from Mansfield came in the third. Hester and Melanie Taylor dished out back-to-back RBI singles plating runs in Casey Pearce and Rachael Sterner. With no sign of the Hawks, the Mountaineers added a third run in the fourth frame when Koryn Wickwire sent Deshae Jones home on a single to left field.
 
Both teams went scoreless in the sixth after IUP came back and scored two more runs in the fourth to tie it up. The Hawks scored what would be the winning run in the fifth before securing the 5-3 victory.
 
Arianna Young started and took the loss for Mansfield while Megan Risinger took the win and Lauren Zola, the save.

Mansfield totaled 11 hits but stranded 13 runners. Alli McGovern, Wickwire, Hester, and Jones all went 2-for-4 at bat while Hester and Wickwire each doubled. Hester finished the day with four hits, two doubles, in six at bats.
 
Mansfield continues its road trip heading to Clarion tomorrow for a doubleheader at 1 p.m.