MANSFIELD – It rained, it poured, and there was a rain delay, but that wouldn't stop the Mounties from topping IUP 3-2 in game one at Helen Lutes Field on Tuesday afternoon. Game two was halted in the fifth inning due to unplayable field conditions.
With the game one victory, Mansfield overtook IUP for third place in the PSAC Central. Mansfield leads the head-to-head matchup over the Crimson Hawks three games to none. The top-three teams in each division advance to the PSAC tournament.
GAME ONE:
The Mountaineer bats would strike just like the rain storms hovering over Lutes Field, without notice and at the exact wrong time for the Crimson Hawks.
Joelle Snyder led off game one with a triple down the left field line, immediately setting the tone for what was to come later in game one for Mansfield (15-12, 9-6 PSAC). Snyder would not stay on third long, as Alli McGovern would drive in the game's first run on a well-placed groundout to put the Mounties on the board.
IUP (14-24-1, 9-5 PSAC) responded in the top of the third when Brooklyn Kotula sent a long fly ball over the centerfield wall to tie the score at 1-1.
Mansfield answered with the small-ball approach, with three straight bunt-singles loading the bases for Devin Jones, who lined a single over the shortstop's head, scoring Lacey O'Donnell and pushing the Mountie lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth.
The Crimson Hawks would not go quietly, tying the game once again, this time on a passed ball that scored Rachel Rodriguez from third base, squaring things back up at two apiece.
Both Arianna Young and Lauren Zola would settle in, neither yielding a run through the next three innings of work, sending the contest to extra innings. Young saved her best for last or at least after a 35-minute rain delay, working out of a bases-loaded and one out jam in the top of the eighth inning.
Mansfield played copy-cat with IUP, loading the bases in the bottom of the frame. Cassidy Smith stepped to the plate with one job, to get the run in from third in any way possible. She did just that, sending a deep fly ball to left-center field, deep enough to score Alli McGovern from third and give the Mountaineers a crucial 3-2 game one victory.
GAME TWO:
Game two would start out much like game one, a pitcher's duel featuring Alexis Easling for the Mounties (15-12, 9-6 PSAC) and Brooklyn Kotula for the Crimson Hawks. Neither would relinquish a run through the first three innings of work, allowing only three hits combined.
That was until the fourth inning, when Renee Wall sent a long homerun over the left field fence to break the scoreless tie. IUP (14-24-1, 9-5 PSAC) added to their lead in the top of the fifth when a throwing error and a bunt single brought home two more runs.
Renee Wall would once again strike in the fifth, this time lining a single down the left-field line pushing home the third run of the inning for IUP and stretching their lead to 4-0.
Then the skies opened up, and rendered the field unplayable, forcing the game to be halted in the home half of the fifth inning with one out and Alex Hein on first base. The game will be only be made up if it involves playoff implications later in the season.
The Mounties return to action this Friday, April 26th for Senior Day at Helen Lutes Field against Lock Haven with first pitch set for 2:30 p.m.
