RELEASE DATE: 3/08/04

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MOUNTIES SWEEP SOUTH DAKOTA STATE 8-2, 4-3 TO IMPROVE TO 9-3 ON SEASON

FT. MYERS, FL – Senior Jeff Papi (Tunkhannock/Tunkhannock) picked up his third win of the season in the opener and DJ Hoshauer (Hamburg/Hamburg) blasted a three-run home run in the nightcap as Mansfield University swept South Dakota State 8-2, 4-3 in NCAA Division II baseball action in Ft. Myers, FL Monday afternoon.

Papi scattered six hits and struck out eight over six innings in the opener to improve to 3-0 on the season. He go plenty of long ball help from Eric Baker (Apalachin,NY/Owego), who hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first, along with solo shots by Travis Wurster (Montoursville/Montoursville) and Brandon Brokaw (Altoona/Altoona). Baker went 2-3 with the home run and two rbi with Matt Mills ( Clifton , VA /Centreville)  and Hoshauer each rapping out two hits.

In the nightcap, Hoshauer crushed a towering, three-run home run in the top of the fourth inning while Justin Ferguson (Danville/Danville) picked up his first win of the season scattering six hits and striking out four over 5 1/3 innings. Marty Rakaczewski (Wilkes-Barre/Hanover) picked up his fourth save of the young season in relief. Eric Baker went 3-4 from the plate while Josh Rearick (Elton/Forest Hills) was 2-4.

The Mountaineers (9-3) will get a much needed day off on Tuesday after playing seven games over five days.

GAME ONE

South Dakota State              001     001     0          2-6-0

Mansfield University               203     201     x          8-10-2

South Dakota State (0-4): Tigh Surdez (L, 0-1), Nate Huls (4) and Ryan Greene

2b – Brett Fischer, Ryan Hansen, Jake Frey

RBI – Hansen, Ben Morrison

Mansfield (8-3): Jeff Papi (W, 3-0), Marty Rakaczewski (7) and D.J. Hoshauer

2b – Dan Kochenderfer, Matt Mills HR – Brandon Brokaw (1), Travis Wurster (1), Eric Baker (1)

RBI -- Baker 2, Mills 2, Brokaw, Wurster, Kochenderfer

GAME TWO

Mansfield University             000     310     0          4-8-0

South Dakota State              000     102     0          3-8-0

Mansfield (9-3): Justin Ferguson (W,1-0), Marty Rakaczewski (6) (s-4) and Hoshauer

HR – DJ Hoshauer (3)          RBI – Hoshauer 3, Baker

South Dakota State (0-5): Gary Olechoski (L, 0-1), Geoff Bray (6) and Kyle Sytsma

2b – Greene              RBI – Greene2, Greg Geary