RELEASE DATE: 3/23/03

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MOUNTIES SWEEP EDINBORO IN HOME OPENER – JASON MANWARING BELTS TWO HOME RUNS INCLUDING A GRAND SLAM

MANSFIELD –  Jason Manwaring (Elmira,NY/Horseheads) hit two home runs, including a grand slam in the opener and D.J. Houshauer (Hamburg/Hamburg) blasted a three run homer in the nightcap as Mansfield swept Edinboro 9-3, 11-4 in the Mountaineers home baseball opener at Kelly Field in Smythe Park Sunday afternoon.

Freshman Matt Allegretto (Bellefonte/Bellefonte) went the distance in the opener, scattering seven hits and striking out five to earn his second win of the season. Mansfield scored one in the first on a RBI single by Aaron Kilgo (Honesdale/Honesdale) and added three more in the third and one more in the fifth before Edinboro closed the gap with two runs in the top of the sixth.

In the bottom of the sixth, Matt Mills (Clifton,VA/Centerville) singled, Dan Kochenderfer walked and Brett Brown singled to load the bases before Jason Manwaring drilled a grand slam over the centerfield fence.

In the nightcap, Mansfield scored two in the first on a two run single by Aaron Kilgo and added three more in the fourth on a solo home run by Manwaring and two run double by Houshauer. Houshauer added a three run home run one inning later. TJ Dincher (Loyalsock/Loyalsock) picked up the win allowing five hits with two strikeouts to earn his first win of the season. Marty Rakaczewski (Wilkes-Barre/Hanover) picked up his third save of the season in relief allowing three hits and striking out two over three innings.

Mansfield won its third straight game to improve to 13-8 overall. The Mountaineers the PSAC East season when they host Shippensburg in a doubleheader Wednesday afternoon at Shaute Field.

GAME ONE

EDINBORO                 000            002            1            3-6-1
MANSFIELD                103            014            X            9-11-1

Edinboro (3-15): Kyle Rizzi (L, 1-3), Travis Repman (6) and Hank Speerstra

2b – Speerstra               HR – Mark Stahurski            RBI – Speerstra, Adam Uzzo, Stahurski

Mansfield (12-8): Matt Allegretto (W, 2-1) and Craig Barkey

2b – Jason Manwaring, Aaron Kilgo, Jason Fischer            HR Jason Manwaring (3)

RBI – Manwaring 4, Travis Wurster 2, Doug Evans, Fischer, Kilgo

GAME TWO

EDINBORO            101            200            0            4-7-1
MANSFIELD             200            342            x            11-11-1

Edinboro (3-16): Travis Butcher (L, 0-2), Paul Crider (5), Steve Tauss (5), Brandon O’Brien (6) and Hank Speerstra

2b – Jason Gilotty, Jerrod Hunt                 RBI – Hunt 2, Speerstra

Mansfield (13-8): TJ Dincher (W, 1-0), Marty Rakaczewski (5) and D.J. Houshauer

2b – Houshauer, Brett Brown,            HR – Jason Manwaring (4), DJ Houshauer (1)

RBI – Houshauer 5, Jason Fischer 2, Aaron Kilgo , Manwaring