RELEASE DATE: 4/03/04

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MOUNTIES HOLD ON TO WIN THIRD GAME OF TRIPLE-HEADER WITH 4-3 WIN OVER KUTZTOWN

MANSFIELD – Marty Rakaczewski (Wilkes-Barre/Hanover) picked up his seventh save of the season and Eric Baker (Apalachin,NY/Owego) and DJ Hoshauer (Hamburg/Hamburg) hit back-to-back home runs to lead Mansfield to a 4-3 win over Kutztown in the third game of a rare PSAC East triple-header at Shaute Field Saturday afternoon.

Kutztown won the first two games in their final at-bat 9-8, 3-1.

In the nightcap, Mansfield took a 2-1 lead in the second inning on a two-run single by Travis Wurster (Montoursville/Montoursville). The Mountaineers added to their lead with  back-to-back solo home runs by Eric Baker and DJ Hoshauer.

Kutztown closed to within 4-3 with two runs in the top of the fourth, but starter Kane Stein (N. Huntington/Norwin) and Rakaczewski held Kutztown to just two hits over the final three innings to pick up the key win.

Stein picked up his first win of the season going a solid six innings with four strikeouts and no walks. Baker went 2-3 including his seventh home run of the season.

In the opener, Mansfield rallied from a 3-0 deficit to take a 8-6 lead entering the final inning.  Kutztown was the home team in game because of yesterday’s second game at Kutztown was postponed and moved to Mansfield as part of the doubleheader.

In the bottom half of the seventh inning Kutztown’s Ryan Loper hit a walk-off three-run homerun for a 9-8 Kutztown victory.

Brandon Brokow (Altoona/Altoona) hit a two-run homerun and Matt Mills (Clifton,VA/Centreville) went 2-3 with two RBI’s.

Game two featured a pitching dual between John Cronin (Horseheads,N.Y./Horseheads) and Kutztown’s Donny Langdon.    

With the game tied 1-1 in the top half of the seventh inning, Kutztown scored two runs to take a 3-1 lead when Paul Koropchak hit a two-out,  two-run double off Cronin who pitched seven innings scattering six hits and striking out four batters.

Mansfield is now 18-11 overall and in second place in the PSAC East standings with a 6-2 mark. West Chester leads the PSAC East with a 7-1 mark. 

The Mountaineers will travel to play West Chester on Friday April 9 and will host West Chester on Saturday April 10.

GAME ONE:

Mansfield University                   000       304       1          8-7-3

Kutztown University                    102       120       3          9-8-2

Mansfield University (17-10, 5-1) Dan Yoder, Marty Rakaczewski (5) (L, 3-2) and D.J. Hoshauer, Scott Erickson (6)

2b- D.J. Hoshauer and Matt Mills

HR- Brandon Brokaw

RBI-Brokaw (2), Mills (2), Eric Baker, Hoshauer, Stuart Sumner, David Meldrum

Kutztown University (17-8, 4-2) Rob McCuen, Kevin Langan (6), Marshall Mirarchi (6) (W, 2-1) and John Yearsley.

2b-John Shade

HR-Ryan Loper

RBI-Loper (3), Shade (2), Paul Koropchak, Yearsley, P.J. Gallo, Gary Stricker

GAME 2

Kutztown University                    010       000       2          3-6-1

Mansfield University                   000       100       0          1-6-0

Kutztown University (18-8, 5-2) Donny Langdon (W, 1-3) and Clay Kuklick

2b-Koropchak, Mike McCardell and Josh Fink

RBI-Koropchak (2) and Greg Rada

Mansfield University (17-11, 5-2) John Cronin and Hoshauer

2b-Brett Shockloss

GAME 3

Kutztown University               100     200     0          3-8-0

Mansfield University              022     000     X         4-7-1

Kutztown University (18-9, 5-3) Kyle Sadlowski (L, 3-1), Matt Keller (5) and Kuklick

2b- Loper and Stricker

HR-Kuklick

RBI- Kuklick, Rada, and Gallo

Mansfield University (18-11, 6-2) Kane Stein (W, 1-2), Marty Rakaczewski (S, 7) and Hoshauer.

2b-Eric Baker

HR-Baker and Hoshauer

RBI- Travis Wurster (2), Baker and Hoshauer