NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Freshman Alexis Easling threw a seven-inning no-hitter with six strikeouts and one walk as Mansfield ended its spring break trip with an 8-0 win over Chestnut Hill to improve to 6-2 overall.
 
It was the first no-hitter thrown by a Mountaineer pitcher since Caitlin Klobosits against Salem International in 2013.
 
Easling was perfect through 2.2 innings before issuing her only walk of the game in the bottom of the third inning. Chestnut Hill (4-3, 0-0 CACC) put a runner in scoring position with a stolen base, but Easling ended the threat by striking out the next batter.
 
Run support came through for Easling in the top of the fifth inning when Leah McGovern drew a one-out walk and moved over to second on a groundout. Joelle Snyder hit her second triple in as many days to drive in the run, giving Mansfield (6-2, 0-0 PSAC Central) a 1-0 lead.
 
The Mountie offense was not finished, as Deshae Jones led off the sixth with a double and later scored on a throwing error. Lesley Fritz followed with a hit and pinch runner Alex Hein would also score on an error. Shaelyn Marx drove in another run with an RBI single to left field before Devin Jones beat the tag at home to put Mansfield ahead 5-0. Another error by the Griffins allowed Lacey O'Donnell and Marx to cross home to cap a six-run sixth inning for MU.
 
Fritz added the eighth run of the game in the seventh inning when she took the second pitch of the at bat and drilled it over the extended fence in left centerfield. It was the first home run of the season for Fritz.
 
Easling struck out the first two batters swinging in the bottom of the inning before completing the no-hitter by getting a long fly out to centerfielder Alli McGovern.
 
Easling improved to 4-0 in the circle, pitching 7.0 innings with six strikeouts. The freshman needed just 86 pitches, facing 22 batters in the game.
 
Nichole Eberhard took the loss, going 5.0 innings with eight hits and three earned runs allowed.
 
The win was the 450^thin the career of head coach Edith Gallagher who is in her 28^thseason at the helm of the program.
 
The 6-2 start for the Mountaineers is the best since the 2014 when Mansfield earned its first NCAA Tournament berth in program history.
 
Mansfield is back in action on Sunday, March 17 for a doubleheader at Goldey-Beacom (Del.).