RELEASE DATE: 4/25/04

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MOUNTIES SWEEP BLOOMSBURG TO CAPTURE PSAC EAST CROWN – RAKACZEWSKI SAVES BOTH GAMES – HOSHAUER HITS HOME RUNS IN EACH GAME

MANSFIELD – Marty Rakaczewski (Wilkes-Barre/Hanover) recorded two saves and DJ Hoshauer (Hamburg/Hamburg) hit home runs in both games to lead Mansfield to a sweep over Bloomsburg 3-2, 6-4 to capture the PSAC East title on a wet, but happy Shaute Field Sunday afternoon.

“You got to be happy for this team and especially our eight seniors,” said head coach Harry Hillson who captured his ninth PSAC East crown in 19 seasons at the helm of the Mountaineer program. “They (the seniors) will always remember winning the East on Senior Day. We expected to be here (PSAC East Champs) at the beginning of the season, but I’m not sure some of the other teams in the PSAC East did. I’m proud of the way our guys played all season long and we’re excited about our chances in the PSAC Championship Tournament.”

Mansfield jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the opener scoring a single run in the first when Josh Rearick (Elton/Forest Hills) singled to lead off the inning and later scored on a heads up running play off a ground out. The Mountaineers added two more in the third when Hoshauer drilled a two-run home run over the centerfield wall.

Bloomsburg would score twice off starter John Cronin (Horseheads,N.Y./ Horseheads) in the fifth inning to cut the score to 3-2. Marty Rakaczewski took over for Cronin in the top of the sixth and allowed just two hits with a strikeout to record his 11^th save of the season. Hoshauer and Travis Wurster (Montoursville/Montoursville) each had two hits for the Mountaineers. Cronin picked up his sixth win of the season scattering just three hits over five innings.

In the nightcap, Mansfield scored twice in the bottom of the first on a two-run home run by Brandon Brokaw (Altoona/Altoona). The Mountaineers added two more runs in the third on a two-run single by Matt Mills (Clifton,VA/Centerville).

Bloomsburg would rally to tie the game at 4-4 with three runs in the top of the fourth before Eric Baker (Apalichin,NY/Owego) delivered an RBI single to retake the lead in the bottom of the inning.

Rakaczewski came in relief of starter Kane Stein (N.Huntington/Norwin) in the fifth and scattered three hits over the final three innings to pick up his 12^th save of the season in his 29^th appearance of the year.

Hoshauer added a solo home run in the fifth for Mansfield, his 12^th of the season.

The Mountaineers game with Cortland-SUNY for Monday has been cancelled and the Mountaineers will host PSAC West second place finisher California in the opening round of the PSAC Championship Tournament at the Shaner Sports Complex in State College at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Shippensburg, the PSAC West Champion, will take on Kutztown in the opening game a 3:30.

GAME ONE:

Bloomsburg University                        000      020      0                      2-5-1

Mansfield University                            102      000      x                      3-7-1

Bloomsburg University (14-28, 4-14) Chase Phillips (L, 2-3) and Aaron Wheeler

RBI- Andy Howard (2)

Mansfield University (30-17, 15-4) John Cronin (W, 6-2) Marty Rakaczewski (6) (S, 11)

HR- D.J. Hoshauer (11)

RBI- Hoshauer (2)

GAME TWO:

Bloomsburg University                        010      300      0                      4-8-3

Mansfield University                            202      110      X                      6-11-1

Bloomsburg University (14-29, 4-15) Casey Markey (L, 1-5) and Aaron Wheeler

2b- Wheeler, Matt Robinson

HR- Andy Howard

RBI- Robinson (2) and Howard (2)

Mansfield University (31-17, 16-4) Kane Stein (W, 4-2) Marty Rakaczewski (5) (S, 12)

2b-Brandon Brokaw and D.J. Hoshauer

HR-Hoshauer (12)

RBI-Brokaw (2), Matt Mills (2), Hoshauer and Eric Baker