RELEASE DATE: 4/17/10

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Mounties close in on playoff berth with sweep over Shippensburg

Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

MANSFIELD – Freshman Jon Taddeo hit a grand slam home run in an 18-7 win in the opener and Andy Young and Bernard Johnson combined for an eight-hitter to pull out a 3-2 win in the nightcap to give Mansfield a key sweep over Shippensburg in a PSAC East doubleheader Saturday afternoon at Shaute Field.

With the wins, Mansfield moves into sole possession of third place in the PSAC East with an 11-9 mark and a two-game lead over both East Stroudsburg and Millersville going into the final four games of the regular season. The top four teams from the East and West advance to the PSAC playoffs.

In the opener, Shippensburg took a 2-0 lead with two runs in the top of the second on a RBI double by Kyle Scholly and run scoring triple by Jesse Smith. But Mansfield came right back in their half of the inning plating six runs wotj two coming off a single by Matt Hamilton and three more off a double by Mike Hartz to take a 6-2 lead.

Mansfield the exploded for 10 runs in the third with Taddeo hitting a grand slam home run over the centerfield fence and fellow freshman Dylan Woodworth belting a three-run home run later in the inning.

Shippensburg scored five runs over the next two innings to drive starter Bryan Wilde from the mound but freshman Joel Worthington came in a shut down the Shippensburg offense allowing just one hit and striking out one over the final 2.1 innings.

Hartz went 2-4 including his 16^th double of the season and drove in four runs while Taddeo was 2-3 with his fifth home run of the year and also drove in four runs.

In the nightcap, Mansfield’s Andy Young and Shippensburg Nick Umberger settled into a old-fashioned pitching dual.

Shippensburg scored first in the top of the first and Mansfield answered in the bottom half of the inning on Hartz’s RBI single to right. Mansfield added two more runs in the bottom of the third on an RBI single by Chris Coleman and scored again when Dan Chevalier was hit-by-a-pitch with the bases loaded.

Shippensburg closed to 3-2 with a run in the top of the sixth to chase Young from the mound but Bernard Johnson shut the door over 1.2 innings to record his third save of the season.

Hartz, Coleman and Taddeo all had three hits for Mansfield.

Mansfield improves to 26-14 overall and host Washington Adventist for a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Shaute Field

Mansfield also celebrated Senior Day on the final Saturday doubleheader of the regular season with senior Chris Coleman, Justin Garcia, Matt Hamilton, Bernard Johnson, Shane Ryan, Zach Ullrich and Joe Will honored with the Mike "Gazook" Gazella Award during pregame ceremonies. 

GAME ONE

Shippensburg    020         140         0              7-11-1
Mansfield            06 10      002         x              18-11-0

Shippensburg (12-31, 6-13 PSAC East): Ryan Rehman (L, 1-7), Kyle Chronister (3), Josh Scott (3), David McKolosky (5), Cody Kulp (6) and Kyle Hollingsworth
2b – Hollingsworth, Kevin Scholly              3b – Jesse Smith
RBI – Smith 3, Eric Herman 2, Scholly, Tyler Uphouse

Mansfield (25-14, 10-9 PSAC East): Bryan Wilde (W, 4-3), Joel Worthington (5) and Glen Jenkins
2b – Mike Hartz                                HR – Jon Taddeo (5), Dylan Woodwarth (2)
RBI – Taddeo 4, Hartz 4, Woodworth 3, Matt Hamilton 2, Chris Coleman 2, Dan Chevalier 2

GAME TWO

Shippensburg    100         001         0              2-8-0
Mansfield            102         000         x              3-8-1

Shippensburg (12-32, 6-14 PSAC East): Nick Umberger L, 1-8) and Kris Kullman
2b – Jimmy Miller             RBI – Jesse Smith, Zach Seaman

Mansfield (26-14, 11-9 PSAC East): Andy Young (W, 4-2), Bernard Johnson (6) (S-3) and Glen Jenkins
2b – Dylan Woodworth                                 RBI – Hartz, Chris Coleman, Dan Chevalier