RELEASE DATE: 4/3/03

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MOUNTIES DROP DOUBLEHEADER TO BLOOMSBURG IN HOME SEASON OPENER

MANSFIELD – Nationally ranked Bloomsburg University used two big innings to sweep Mansfield University 4-0, 6-2 in a PSAC East doubleheader at Helen Lutes Field Thursday afternoon.

In the opener Mansfield’s Alison Tagliaferri (Linden/Jersey Shore) and Bloomsburg’s Amber Cowder squared off in a pitching dual for the three innings in a scoreless game.

Tagliaferri allowed just one hit and struck out four before being relieved with one out in the top of fourth inning.

Bloomsburg scored three runs in the top of the fifth and the Mountaineers could never recover. Mansfield had four hits in the game to Bloomsburg’s six.

In the nightcap the Mountaineers took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third when freshman Kristen Dean (Roaring Branch/Canton) led off with a single moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by Sytiva Seitz (Dallastown/Dallastown). But Bloomsburg would answer back with two runs in the top of the fourth and four more in the sixth.

Mansfield threatened in the bottom of the sixth, scoring on an RBI single by Tagliaferri. With runners on second and third, Shannon McDonnell (Scranton/Bishop O’Hara) blasted a pitch to the deepest part of centerfield that was caught against the fence for the final out of the inning.

Kristen Dean allowed just four hits in five innings with three strikeouts in falling to 3-2 on the season.

Mansfield falls to 7-7 overall and 0-4 in the PSAC East. Bloomsburg improves to 17-5 and 4-0 in the conference.

Mansfield travels to West Chester on Saturday for a PSAC East twinbill.

GAME ONE

Bloomsburg            000            030            1            4-6-0
Mansfield             000            000            0            0-4-1

Bloomsburg (16-5, 3-0): Amber Cowher (W, 9-3) and Melanie Anderson

RBI – Sara Roba 2, Anderson

Mansfield (7-6, 0-3): Alison Tagliaferri, Liz Lyon (4) (L, 2-3) and Marissa Kosydar

GAME TWO

Bloomsburg            000            204            0            6-8-0
Mansfield             001            001            0            2-6-2

Bloomsburg (17-5, 4-0): Jamie Wilson (W, 4-2) and Anderson

2b – Liza Pepper, Anderson, Becca Kehler

RBI – Kehler 4, Sara Roba, Samantha Basalik

Mansfield (7-7, 0-4): Kristen Dean (L, 3-2), Liz Lyon (6) and Sytiva Seitz

2b – Kriss Kelly

RBI – Alison Tagliaferri, Sarah Deller