MANSFIELD, Pa. – Mansfield (7-11, 2-2 PSAC East) hosted their first home game of the season on Saturday (Mar. 22) afternoon from Joesph Shaute Field against the Kutztown Golden Bears (8-14, 2-2 PSAC East).
 
Game One: Kutztown 11, Mansfield 10
 
The Golden Bears scored in the top of the first after an RBI single gave them a 1-0 lead.
 
Shane Stossel tied the game at 1-1 in the home half of the inning with a solo shot.
 
In the second inning, both sides went quietly, but in the third, KU took a 4-1 advantage with an RBI double and back-to-back RBI singles off the Mountaineers starter.
 
Jacob Houtz got one back for the Mounties in the third with an RBI single to cut the deficit to two.
 
In the fourth Mansfield put together a big inning, they scored six runs on three hits highlighted by a Ryan Sekulski home run that gave the Mounties a 5-4 lead. Houtz and Ryan Verbonitz added another with RBI knocks to put the Mountaineers up by four after four innings.
 
KU led off the fifth with a home run and scored another three in the sixth to tie the game at eight before the home half of the inning.
 
Mansfield reclaimed a 9-8 lead in the bottom of the sixth with a solo homer from Houtz.
 
The Golden Bears began the seventh with a single to right field. After a sac bunt to move the runner to second, the Kutztown left-fielder homered to give KU the lead. Kutz pushed across another in the inning to take an 11-9 lead.
 
Cole Serfass cut the deficit to one with a one-out RBI single in the bottom of the seventh. With two on and two outs Mansfield threatened to tie the game but couldn't get the final hit they needed, dropping game one.
 
Game Two: Mansfield 17, Kutztown 6
 
Much like game one, Kutztown scored quickly in the first. This time scoring two with an RBI triple and groundout to take a 2-0 lead.
 
An RBI double from Houtz in the bottom of the first got one back for the Mounties.
 
In the bottom of the second, Mansfield loaded the bases with nobody out. Conner Adams tied the game with a sacrifice fly to center. Kutztown induced a groundball double play to end the Mountie threat and take the game to the third tied at two.
 
The Golden Bears took the lead back with an RBI double in the third to go up 3-2.
 
Mansfield tied the game thanks to the head's up base running by Ryan Scott after his leadoff single. Scott scored on a passed ball to tie the game at three. The Mounties grabbed a 4-3 lead after Houtz scored on Hunter Smith's fly ball.
 
Jeffrey Coakley scored off an error by the Kutztown shortstop to give the Mountaineers a 5-3 lead. Scott followed with an RBI single to push the lead to three. Stossel added another with his sac fly as Mansfield took a 7-3 advantage after four.
 
The Mountaineers loaded the bases again in the fifth and scored two runs back-to-back off of hit-by-pitches. Sekulski added more insurance with a sac fly to center to make it 10-3. Houtz cleared the bases with a double to center, Hunter Smith brought Houtz home with the help of a Kutztown error, and Cole Serfass singled in Smith to break the game open after five.
 
Houtz added two more RBIs to his big day with a double in the bottom of the sixth to put the Mountaineers up 14.
 
Kutztown scored three in the seventh but Mansfield closed out game two to earn the Saturday split.
 
UP NEXT:
 
The Mounties travel to Lock Haven on Wednesday (Mar. 26) for a single nine-inning contest with the Bald Eagles. First pitch is set for 2 p.m.