BOWIE, Md. – The Mansfield Mountaineers softball team (2-6) battled in their final nonconference series with Bowie State University (6-11) and dropped the Saturday (Mar. 15) doubleheader, with the Bulldogs earning the 2-0 game one victory, and stealing an extra inning 3-2 game two win.

GAME 1: Bowie State 2 – Mansfield 0

Three innings flew by in last nonconference series, with both aces combining early no-hitter chances, with only Olivia Ackerson and Madison Bailey reaching base via walk, while the Bulldogs landed four via walk or error. 

Putnam used her two-game winning streak boost to sink four strikeouts through the first innings and the scoreboard useless, heading into the fourth inning. 

Alex Reisinger woke up the host with her first career double, slapping the first hit of the afternoon to right field. 

The command was in the circle in game one, with the Bulldogs ace finding her seventh strikeout to close the fourth inning on the Mountaineers, keeping the game scoreless. 

With a play at the plate, Bowie State threw down Emma Wonsick to post the double play, keeping the Mounties off the scoreboard after the top of the fifth.

Baserunning errors were the theme of the inning, with a runner on third for the host leaving early on the pitch to cost them their first run of the afternoon. 

In the bottom of the sixth, the Bulldogs used a perfectly timed bunt to bring home the first run of the game, and heads up running in a throwdown for an insurance run to hold and take home the 2-0 victory. 

Reisinger, Wonsick, and Caydence Macik all each picked up a hit. 

Putnam finished her fourth start of the season with eight strikeouts and only allowing two hits in her complete game. 

GAME 2: Bowie State 3 – Mansfield 2 (8 innings)

A lead-off walk from Melissa Demo gave the red and black an early opportunity to score. Sarah Shupp delivered with an error by the catcher to move Demo and an error by the Bulldogs to score the first run. 

The next quiet three innings were dominated by freshmen Reilly Storer, who held the Bulldogs to two hits and no runs up through the fourth inning, but the host also kept the Mounties cold at the plate despite the 1-0 advantage. 

To begin the fifth inning, Natalie Blackstone picked up her first hit of the afternoon and pressured Bowie State in scoring position, but the Bulldogs returned fire in the bottom of the fifth. 

A two-run triple stamped a lead change to the home team, securing the 2-1 edge before the final out of the fifth inning. 

Mansfield found the tying run with an RBI double from Aubrey Reinert to score Reisinger in the top of the sixth inning to keep the chance of a Saturday split alive as the teams entered extra innings. 

Bowie State silenced the Mounties in the top of the eighth and singled up the middle in the bottom of the inning to steal the doubleheader with the 3-2 victory. 

Reinert, Blackstone, and Katelyn Mesch all each recorded a hit. 

Storer logged a complete game, striking out four batters in game two. 

UP NEXT: 
Mansfield looks to open Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference action on Tuesday (Mar. 15) afternoon with their 2025 home opener against Lock Haven. The series with the Bald Eagles is scheduled for 1 p.m., with game two estimated for 3 p.m.