LINCOLN UNIVERSITY, Pa. – The Mansfield Mountaineers softball team (2-4) battled the Lincoln (Pa.) (5-8) Lions on Saturday (Mar. 8) afternoon behind Anabella Putnam's highlight day, as the Mounties took down the host, 4-1, in game one, but Lincoln (Pa.) walked it off in a 10-9 game two victory.
Putnam led game one for the Mounties with a career high 12 strikeouts in her complete game, while only giving up one earned run.
Sarah Shupp stood out in the doubleheader, grabbing a four-hit day with a total of five RBIs in game two.
GAME 1: Mansfield 4 – Lincoln (Pa.) 1
The Mounties started off game one in the scoring column in the top of the second.
After Caydence Macik and Alex Reisinger started the inning with hits, Kylie Bornman's at-bat brought Macik in for the first Mansfield run.
Multiple errors on the Lions infield led to Reisinger scoring another run to rise the Mountaineer lead to 2-0.
Three innings passed with no action on the scoreboard as Putnam totaled nine strikeouts, heading into the sixth inning.
The Lions closed the Mounties' lead to one with a single to the infield, making it a 2-1 game.
Mansfield put the pressure back on the Lions in the top of the seventh.
Two early singles put Macik up to bat, who scored Rachel Sherman to make it 3-1.
A sacrifice fly from Reisinger sealed the game one scoring, with Putnam earning her second win of the season in a 4-1 victory.
Macik and Madison Bailey led the team with two hits each.
Putnam's career high of 12 strikeouts highlighted her stint in the circle, allowing just one earned run and no walks allowed.
GAME 2: Lincoln (Pa.) 10 – Mansfield 9 (8 innings)
Game two saw the doubleheader change into a more offensive battle.
The Lions jumped out in the first inning with a steal to home off a wild pitch and two more RBIs to put the host in front with a 3-0 lead.
With the bases loaded, Aubrey Reinert put the ball in play to earn the first run for Mansfield in the third inning, scoring Kaelyn Watson.
With two runners in scoring position, Shupp added two runs with a shot in the gap to even the game at 3-3.
A fielder's choice early in the bottom of the third gave the Lions the tying run. Lincoln (Pa.) responded with another tun to keep their 5-3 lead, heading into the fourth.
Sherman shocked the Mountaineers and the Lions with her career home run, which tied the game for the red and black at 5-5.
Lincoln (Pa.) answered in the bottom of the fourth with a triple and a double to drive in two runs to give the Lions a 7-5 lead.
In the sixth inning, Shupp stepped up to the plate and doubled to center, scoring two runs, tying the game up for Mansfield at 7-7.
Both teams played excellent defense in the final outs to send game two to extra innings.
At the start of extras, Shupp singled to left, getting the Mountaineers their first run in the eighth.
Emma Mauer stepped up to the plate with one out and struck a ball to score Shupp, giving the Mounties a 9-7 lead.
Mansfield tried to hold off the Lions for three more outs, but the Lions ended the game in style, taking the 10-9 victory with an RBI single and a walk off two run double.
Shupp led the Mountaineers in game two with a three hit day at the plate, including a double and a career high five RBIs in game two.
UP NEXT:
Mansfield finish up their nonconference action on Saturday (Mar. 15) with a visit to Maryland to face Bowie State. The Mountaineers face the Bulldogs at 1 p.m., before a scheduled 3 p.m. start for game two.
