CARY, N.C. – The Mansfield University baseball team (3-4 overall) fell to Clarion University, 8-7, in non-conference action on their final day in Cary, N.C. on Sunday afternoon, Feb. 26.

Dylan Mercedes powered the Mountaineer offense by going 3-for-5 with a double, two runs scored, and an RBI. Ryan Verbonitz capped off an excellent weekend at the plate going 3-for-4 with two RBI. Jacob Houtz continues to tear it up in his second season, finishing 2-for-4 with a run scored. Zach Spray (double) and Kurt Biesecker also drove in runs.

Mansfield Starter Ryan King lasted four innings, allowing five runs on six hits, while striking out four to land a no-decision. Joseph Gleason landed the loss in relief, allowing one unearned run in one complete inning of work.

Clarion kicked off the scoring with two runs in the top of the first to take the game's first lead. However, Mansfield countered with a four-run bottom of the second thanks to RBI by Spray, Biesecker, and Verbonitz to take a 4-2 lead into the third.

Clarion recaptured the lead, 5-4, after plating a run in the third and a pair of runs in the top of the fourth.

The Mounties, however, sandwiched Clarion's sixth run by scoring in the bottom of the fifth off a Mercedes' single, before plating a pair of runs in their half of the seventh off the bats of Verbonitz and Biesecker to lead 7-6 with six outs to go.

Clarion wasn't done, as they pushed across the tying run in the eighth before plating the game-winner in the ninth to secure the non-conference victory.

For Clarion, Griffin Snyder landed the victory in two innings of work where he limited the Mounties to two unearned runs, before handing the ball to Joe Rossi who tossed a scoreless ninth inning to land the save. Mason Kepler drove in four runs on three hits to lead Clarion's offense.

NEXT UP
The Mounties travel to Petersburg, Va. on Saturday-Sunday, March 4-5 for a four-game non-conference series against Virginia State University.