RELEASE DATE: 5/10/03

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MOUNTIES DROP 3-2 HEARTBREAKER TO GEORGIAN COURT IN ECAC WINNERS BRACKET GAME – PLAY DOWLING AT 10 AM ON SUNDAY

MANSFIELD – Top seeded Georgian Court College went 2-0 on the opening day, including outlasting Mansfield University 3-2 in the winners bracket game, to advance to the Championship game of the ECAC Division II Softball Championship at Helen Lutes Field Saturday.

In the winner’s bracket game, Georgian Court used clutch hitting and a solid pitching performance from Lauren Anderson to edge Mansfield’s Alison Tagliaferri (Linden/Jersey Shore)  in a stellar pitching matchup.

Georgian Court took a 2-0 lead with solo runs in the bottom of the second and third before Mansfield cut the margin to 2-1 when Shannon McDonnell led off the firth inning with a home run to center field. Mansfield threatened to score again in the inning with runner of first and second with one out, but Heather Bensinger’s sharp line drive to short ended in a double play.

Georgian Court added another run in the bottom of the fifth, but Mansfield cut the score to 3-2 on a two-out RBI single by McDonnell.

In the top of the seventh, the Mountaineers loaded the bases with no outs but could not score the tying run.

Mansfield blanked Teikyo Post University 10-0 in the Mountaineers opening game of the tournament. Freshman Kristin Dean (Roaring Branch/Canton) threw a complete game four-hit shutout with three strikeouts. Jes Ricker (Shillington/Governor Mifflin) had a double, home run and three RBI’s to lead a 14 hit attack.

Mansfield will face Dowling College at 10 a.m. with the winner meeting Georgian Court at noon. Game seven, if needed will follow at 2 p.m.

GAME ONE

Georgian Court   001            2100            0            3-6-2

Dowling College            000            000            0            0-4-1

Georgian Court (31-11): Sherry Keech (W, 13-5), and Erin Myers

2b – Kimberly Griffiths            RBI – Griffiths, Michelle DePolo

Dowling (24-25): Crystal Fryer (L, 11-7) and Leslie Bonello

2b –Megan Pfaeffe

GAME TWO

Mansfield                   016            000            3            10-14-2

Teikyo Post                000            000            0            0-4-3

Mansfield (19-16): Kristen Dean (W, 8-5) and Nancy Quinn

2b – Jes Ricker, Kris Kelly, Shannon McDonnell, Kristi Loomis

HR – Jes Ricker (6)                   RBI – Ricker 3, McDonnell 2, Quinn, Dean

Teikyo Post (27-19-1): Holtzon (L, 20-12) and Tarallo

2b – Czermcha

GAME THREE

Teikyo Post                002            000            0            2-9-0

Dowling                      200            010            x            3-9-2

Teikyo Post (27-20-1): Emily Alison (L, 6-8) and Krissy Tarallo

2b – Tracy Johnson                      RBI – Johnson, Melissa Czeremcha

Dowling (25-25): Megan Pfaeffe (W, 6-7) and Leslie Bonello

3b – Kelly McDonough, Jennifer Fryer

RBI – Pfaeffe 2, McDonough

GAME FOUR

Mansfield                   000            011            0            2-6-0

Georgian Court   011            010            x            3-5-2

Mansfield (19-17): Alison Tagliaferri (L, 5-6) and Sytiva Seitz

HR – Shannon McDonnell (1)            RBI – McDonnell 2

Georgian Court (32-11): Lauren Anderson (W, ) and Lisa Hollis