MANSFIELD, Pa. – The Mansfield University baseball team belted out 20 hits on their way to 17 runs, but the Mounties were outlasted in an old-fashioned Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division slugfest, falling 25-17 to Shepherd University on Wednesday afternoon, March 29 at Shaute Field. 
 
The Mounties (5-14, 0-9 PSAC East) had nine different players finish with hits, including five players with multiple. Jacob Houtz, Zachary Shertzer, Zach Spray, Jeffrey Coakley, and Kurt Biesecker all finished with three of more hits, while Houtz, Coakley and Brittain Shander drove in three runs each. Houtz also homered and doubled, while Coakley doubled twice. 
 
In a game that featured 42 runs, 40 hits, eight errors and saw 14 pitchers take the mound, Shepherd (17-9, 5-4 PSAC East) finally got the last laugh after four-plus hours of baseball. 
 
The Rams got their bats going right out of the gate, plating four runs on four hits in the top of the first inning.  
 
However, the Mounties answered in their half of the first with a three-spot thanks to a two-run blast by Houtz and an RBI-single by Spray.  
 
After entering the game in the top of the first, Joseph Gleason pitched a scoreless second, but Shepherd got things going again in the top of the third when they plated six runs on three hits to extend their lead to 10-3. 
 
The Rams added a run with a solo shot in the top of the fourth. 
 
The Mounties, however, answered with four runs during the ensuing frame to cut the deficit to 11-7. Shander, Houtz, and Josh Farina drove in runs during the rally. 
 
The Rams countered with another crooked number in the top of the fifth, plating four runs on four hits to extend their advantage to 15-7. 
 
The resilient Mounties didn't go away, trimming their deficit to 15-13 after scoring six runs on six hits in the bottom of the fifth. Shander and Jeffrey Coakley combined for four RBIs during the rally. 
 
The Rams added a run in the sixth before opening the flood gates in the seventh with nine runs on five hits, while taking advantage of three Mountaineer errors to extend their lead to 25-13.
 
The Mounties continued to show life, scoring another four runs in the seventh to trim the deficit back to eight, 25-17, but Shepherd didn't allow another run from there to seal the victory. 
 
The Mounties sent eight pitchers to the mound with their best showing coming from Bobby Curry, who tossed 2 and 2/3 innings, striking out two.
 
NEXT UP
The Mounties travel to East Stroudsburg University for a 2 p.m. single, 9-inning PSAC East contest.