PETERSBURG, Va. – Senior Hunter DePrimo struck out 10 hitters in game one and sophomore Dylan Mercedes homered in game two to highlight the Mansfield University baseball team's, 7-1, 5-2 sweep over Virginia State University in non-conference action on Saturday, Feb. 5.

The Mounties improve to 4-6 overall on the season, while the Trojans fall to 2-5.

In game one, the Mounties opened the scoring in the top of the first inning with three runs on two hits, while taking advantage of one Trojan error. Osborne and Lowengart hit back-to-back singles with one out to start the rally before coming around to score off the bat of senior Samuel Freedman. Consecutive walks loaded the bases before senior Marcus Nales plated Freedman with a sacrifice fly to round out the scoring.

Lowengart extended the Mountaineer lead to 4-0 in the second with a sacrifice fly to score Shander, but the Trojans erased that run in the bottom of the third to cut the lead to 4-1.

However, the Mountaineers answered with two runs in the fourth to start to pull away. Shander scored on a pass ball after leading off the inning with a single, while Shertzer singled to left to score Freedman, picking up his first RBI of the day.

The Mounties picked up an insurance run in the top of the seventh when Osborne plated sophomore Shay Gustafson in the top of the seventh.

DePrimo earned his first victory on the mound, allowing just one run in 5 and 2/3 innings before handing the ball to sophomore Bobby Curry, who threw the final inning and 1/3 to close out the victory.

Shander reached safely three times, stole three bases and scored twice, while Lowengart collected two hits, scored and drove in a run to lead the Mounties. Sophomore Zachary Shertzer and senior Ben Osborne each added an RBI and a base knock.

Tahraun Hammond went 2-for-2 with an RBI to lead the Trojans on offense. Grayson Spin threw a complete game and was charged with seven runs in the loss.

The Mounties mirrored their hot start from game one in the night cap, scoring two runs in the top of the first thanks to an RBI triple from Lowengart, who later scored off a pass ball to give MU an early 2-0 lead.

The Mounties extended their lead to 4-0 over the next two innings, allowing starter pitcher sophomore Ryan King to really settle in. Nales worked a walk with two outs, stole second and came around to score off the bat of freshman Brett Stewart in the top of the second, before Shertzer notched his second RBI of the afternoon when he drove in Lowengart in the third.

However, Virginia State put the pressure back on with a pair of run in their half of the fifth, making it 4-2.

Lowengart continued his hot start to the season with a 2-for-4 game two, adding a triple, an RBI and two runs, while Mercedes homered and Stewart and Shertzer drove in runs to lead the offense. King earned his first win of the year in the circle, allowing two runs in five innings while striking out five. Freshman Austin Lewis threw two-scoreless innings in relief to earn his first career save.

Ricky Jones was 3-for-4 to lead the Trojan offense. Andrew Riddick was handed the loss, allowing five runs on five hits in 5 and 1/3 innings.

Mercedes put the game away with his second home run of the season in the top of the sixth to round out the scoring.

The Mounties are back in action tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 6 for a noon and 2:30 p.m. non-conference doubleheader with Virginia University.