Release Date: 4/29/04

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MANSFIELD FALLS TO CALIFORNIA OF PA IN OPENING ROUND OF PSAC PLAYOFFS 12-5; MOUNTAINEERS PLAY KUTZTOWN TOMORROW AT NOON

STATE COLLEGE- The Mansfield University baseball team dropped the second game of the opening round of the PSAC playoffs to California University (Pa) 12-5 at Shaner Sports Complex at State College Thursday evening.

The Mountaineers jumped out to an early 4-0 lead in the bottom half of the third inning when Matt Mills (Clifton,VA/Centreville) hit a double driving in three runs.

Mansfield starting pitcher Jeff Papi (Tunkhannock/Tunkhannock) was cruising through the first five innings until California scored six runs in the top half of the sixth inning to take a 7-4 lead.

Mansfield would cut the lead to 7-5 in the bottom of seventh inning when D.J. Hoshauer (Hamburg/Hamburg Area) doubled scoring Eric Baker (Apalachin N.Y./Owego). However, the Vulcans responded scoring five more runs in the top half of the ninth to secure the 12-5 victory.

The Mountaineers will play PSAC East rival Kutztown University at noon tomorrow.  Kutztown lost a nail biter to Shippensburg 4-3 in 11 innings prior to the Mansfield-California game.

The winner of the Mansfield-Kutztown game will play the loser of the California-Shippensburg game at 7 p.m. tomorrow.

California University (Pa)                    000      016      005                  12-14-1

Mansfield University                            004      000      100                  5-10-1

California University (Pa) (30-21-1) Nick Damico (W, 4-4) Ian Heisel (7^th) and Justin Pifer

2b-Sadler, Shane Donnelly and Balen

3b-Larson

HR-Sadler and Shane Donnelly

RBI-Shane Donnelly (4), Larson (2), Sadler (2), Tim Donnelly Pifer and Beucher

Mansfield University (31-18) Jeff Papi (L, 8-3) Marty Rakaczewski (6^th) Justin Ferguson (9^th) and D.J. Hoshauer

 2b-D.J. Hoshauer, Dan Kochenderfer, and Matt Mills

RBI- Matt Mills (3), D.J. Hoshauer and Brandon Brokaw