RELEASE DATE: 4/19/03

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MOUNTIES STUN BLOOMSBURG 7-2 IN FIRST GAME OF DOUBLEHEADER – MANSFIELD SLAMS FOUR HOME RUNS IN OPENER

BLOOMSBURG – Jes Ricker (Shillington/Governor Mifflin), Heather Bensinger (Tamaqua/Tamaqua), Alison Tagliaferri (Linden/Jersey Shore) and Nancy Quinn (Merritt Island, FL/Merritt Island) each hit home runs to lead Mansfield University to a 7-2 win over #8 ranked Bloomsburg University in the opening game of a PSAC East doubleheader at Jan Hutchinson Field Saturday afternoon. Bloomsburg won the nightcap 5-0.

“It’s a great day anytime you beat Bloomsburg,” head coach Edith Gallagher said. “But when you hit four home runs against one of the top pitchers in the country and get great pitching from a freshman – it’s even a better day.”

The Mountaineers power onslaught started in the second inning when freshman Nancy Quinn broke up a scoreless game with a solo home run. The shot snapped Bloomsburg’s Amber Cowher’s 37 inning scoreless streak.

Mansfield added another run in the third inning on a one out solo home run by Jes Ricker before Alison Tagliaferri led off the fourth with another solo shot. 

After Bloomsburg scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth to close to 3-2, Heather Bensinger blasted a two-run homer for a commanding lead. Mansfield would add two more runs in the top of the seventh on a two run single by Jaclyn Laskowski (Olyphant/Mid Valley).

Freshman Kristen Dean (Roaring Branch/Canton) started and got the win, scattering four hits over four innings while striking out two. Tagliaferri came in relief in the fifth allowing just two hits with three strikeouts over the final three innings.  

In the nightcap, the Mountaineers were held to just four hits – two of them by Tagliaferri.  

Mansfield, which has won eight of its last 11 games,  goes to 15-11 overall and 8-8 in the PSAC East. They host Shippensburg on Monday.

GAME ONE

Mansfield                   011            120            2            7-8-1

Bloomsburg               000            200            0            2-7-4

Mansfield (15-10, 8-7): Kristen Dean (W, 5-4), Alison Tagliaferri (5) and Nancy Quinn

HR – Jes Ricker (3), Alison Tagliaferri (3), Nancy Quinn (1), Heather Bensinger (1)            RBI – Bensinger 2, Jaclyn Laskowski 2, Tagliaferri, Ricker, Quinn

Bloomsburg (27-8, 14-3): Amber Cowher (L, 12-5), Jen Probst (7) and Melanie Anderson

2b – Jess Shnyder                      RBI – Anderson 2

GAME TWO

Mansfield                   000            000            0            0-4-2

Bloomsburg               102            002            x            5-9-1

Mansfield (15-11, 8-8): Liz Lyon (L, 2-5), Kristen Dean (5) and Sytive Seitz

Bloomsburg (28-8, 15-3): Jamie Wilson (W, 7-2) and Becca Kehler

2b – Shnyder, Kelly Earski                RBI – Earski 2, Shnyder , Wilson, Deanna Wolfe

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