ETTRICK, Pa. - The Mansfield Mountaineers baseball team (3-1) wrapped up their weekend series against the Virginia State University Trojans (4-5) on Sunday afternoon with their second straight doubleheader.

Ryan King got the start for the Mountaineers in game one as he pitched 4.1 innings, gave up four runs on five hits, and struck out seven.

Mansfield got the scoring started in the top of the first thanks to a Ryan Verbonitz sacrifice fly that scored Ryan Scott. 

The Mounties added another again in the third thanks to Verbonitz who this time singled down the right-field line to drive in Jacob Houtz. 

The Trojans got on the board in the fourth as they were finally able to get to King. VSU doubled in two runs to tie the game at two. Mansfield got out of the inning and went on the attack.

The Mountaineers offense scored five runs in the top of the fifth to take a commanding 7-2 lead. Harold Ivery started the scoring in the inning drawing a bases-loaded walk to bring in Zachary Shertzer. Freshman Cole Serfass recorded his first collegiate hit, doubling down the left-field line scoring two on the play to push the Mounties ahead 5-2. The inning was capped off with the Mounties capitalizing on a Trojan error that allowed two more runs to score.

Virginia State answered in the bottom of the fifth, scoring two runs to draw the game closer. Patience at the plate was key for VSU as both their runs in the inning came from a walk and hit-by-pitch.

Houtz finished the Mansfield scoring in the sixth as he singled through the left side increasing the Mountaineer advantage to four.

VSU threatened in the bottom of the seventh as they added one, and had runners on second and third with two outs and the tying run at the plate. 

Coach Chalot called on Joseph Gleason to come in and slam the door once again and he did just that. Gleason struck out the final batter and nailed down an 8-5 game-one victory for the Mounties.

In game two Freshman Tyler Swineford took to the mound for the first time in his collegiate career and dominated. Swineford allowed just one run on three hits across 6.0 innings of work, while also striking out five. 

Mansfield jumped on Virginia State early in this one as well, scoring two runs in the top of the first. Shertzer singled through the right side to score the first and Houtz added a sacrifice fly to take an early 2-0 lead.

Swineford carved the VSU offense for the first two innings, facing the minimum and recording two strikeouts.

In the third, the Mountaineers added their final three runs of the day to take a 5-0 advantage. Serfass reached on an error to allow Houtz to score. Brett Stewart followed with a ground-out to third that drove in Verbonitz. Jeffrey Coakley finished the inning with a single through the left side to bring Serfass in.

On the defensive side, Swineford continued to sit down VSU batters facing 18 batters in his first five innings.

Virginia State got their one run of the game when the Mountaineers traded an out for a run by throwing out a would-be base stealer in the sixth. 

Austin Beauchamp finished the game on the mound for Mansfield pitching a scoreless inning while striking out one. 

UP NEXT:

The Mounties travel to Salem W.V. next weekend, February 23 and 24 to take on Salem University in a four-game set. Friday's doubleheader is scheduled for 2:00 and 5:00 p.m. While Saturday's is set for 12:00 and 3:00 p.m.