RELEASE DATE: 4/1/05

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MOUNTIES SWEEP BLOOMSBURG – ERIC BAKER HITS GRAND SLAM IN OPENER

BLOOMSBURG – Eric Baker (Apalachin,NY/Owego) belted a grand slam in the opener and Adam Lorson (Montoursville/Montoursville) picked up his third win of the season in the nightcap as Mansfield opened the defensive of it’s PSAC East crown with a 9-3, 4-3 sweep over Bloomsburg at Litwhiler Field Friday afternoon.

In the opener, the Mountaineers trailed 3-0 before erupting for six runs in the top of the fifth inning. Mansfield’s first three batters of the inning reached on walks before Scott Erickson (Elmira,NY/EFA) singled in one run. Baker then blasted his fourth home run of the season over the right field fence for a grand slam.

Nick Grove (Williamsport/Williamsport) went the distance for the win scattering seven hits and striking out three over seven innings. Baker was 2-4 with four RBI’s while Brett Shockloss (Williamsport/Loyalsock) went 2-4 with an RBI.

In the nightcap, the Mountaineers scored two runs in each of the first two innings and Lorson scattered six hits with four strikeouts over the first five innings. Colby Rickabaugh (Newville/Big Springs) threw the sixth inning to pick up his third save of the season.

Mansfield scored three runs in the top of the seventh, but the score reverted back to the last complete inning when the umpires stopped it because of darkness.

Mansfield will host Bloomsburg in a doubleheader at Shaute Field Saturday.

GAME ONE

Mansfield       000     063     0          9-9-2

Bloomsburg   030     000     0          3-7-1

Mansfield (11-10, 1-0): Nick Grove (W, 3-2) and Scott Erickson

HR – Eric Baker (4)              RBI – Baker 4, Brett Shockloss, D.J. Hoshauer, Colby Rickabaugh, Stuart Sumner, Scott Erickson

Bloomsburg (6-13, 0-1): Corey Helfrich (L, 1-4), Mike Akers (5), Ryan Wyland (6) and Vinny James

RBI – Andy Bucher, Larry Piccini, Andy Howard

GAME TWO

Mansfield       220     000     4-5-0

Bloomsburg   100     002     3-7-2

Mansfield (12-10, 2-0): Adam Lorson (W, 3-2), Colby Rickabaugh (6) (s-3) and Kevin Rollins

2B – Eric Baker, D.J. Hoshauer, Stu Sumner

RBI – Baker, Shockloss, Sumner

Bloomsburg (6-14, 0-2): Casey Markey (L, 2-3) and Vinny James

2b – Larry Piccini, Rich Letts           RBI – Piccini, Letts