PETERSBURG, Va. – The Mansfield University baseball team outlasted non-conference opponent Virginia State University in a pair of one-run games on Sunday afternoon, March 6 to finish their weekend in Petersburg, Va. a perfect 4-0. The Mounties took game one, 3-2 before winning the night cap, 5-4.

The Mounties finished the weekend unblemished as they took all four games from Virginia State to improve to 6-6 on the year. VSU fell to 5-10.

In game one, senior Assaf Lowengart drove in his eighth run of the year as junior Brittain Shander came around to score after leading off the game with a single to give the Mounties an early 1-0 lead.

After Virginia State tied the game in the bottom of the second, both pitching staffs settled in with scoreless frames over the next three innings.

The Mounties broke through with two runs in the top of the fifth to take a 3-1 lead after Shander doubled to plate junior Josh Farina and senior Ben Osborne pushed a ball to the right side to score freshman Brett Stewart.

VSU cut the Mountaineer lead to one in the sixth, but junior Todd Erney played the closer rule to perfection over 1 and 1/3 innings to wrap up the 3-2 win.

Shander, Osborne and Lowengart drove in runs, while Lowengart notched two hits and Shander doubled to lead the Mountie offense.

Sophomore Eric Gustofson scattered four hits in five-complete innings while limiting VSU to one run and striking out four to earn his first victory on the season. Junior Todd Erney did not allow a run in the final inning and 1/3 to earn his first save of the season.

Nicholas Woolfork went all seven innings for VSU in the loss, allowing three runs on five hits. Ricky Jones and Joshua Tayman had two hits each to lead the Virginia State offense.

In game two, Lowengart and sophomore Zachary Shertzer drove in runs in the top of the first to give the Mounties an early 2-0 lead.

VSU cut the lead in half in the bottom of the inning, but Osborne reached on an error to plate freshman Ryan Verbonitz to erase the run.

However, Virginia State erupted for three runs on as many hits in the bottom of the fifth to take their first lead, 4-3.

The Mounties weren't done, connecting on the equalizer in the top of the sixth when sophomore Shay Gustafson plated Shertzer to knot the game at four.

In the top of the seventh, Shander led off with a triple and came around to score what served as the game winner off a sacrifice fly from Lowengart. Colon entered the game as the closer and stranded the tying run after a one-out single to seal the victory.

Shander (2-for-3, 2B, two runs) and Lowengart (2-for-4, RBI) continued to apply pressure at the top of the Mountaineer batting order, reaching base five times and accounting for three MU runs. Osborne drove in a pair of runs and scored once, while Shertzer and Gustafson each added RBI.

Jacob Houtz threw the first four innings, allowing four runs on five hits before giving the ball to junior Scott Poulson, who threw a scoreless fifth and sixth inning to earn the victory on the mound. Junior Josh Colon shut the door in the seventh to earn the save, the second of the day for MU.

Rashard Miller was dealt the loss in the circle for VSU, while Tahraun Hammond went 3-for-3 with two RBI to lead the offense.

The Mounties kick off PSAC East play with a three-game series against Shepherd University, beginning March 11.