RELEASE DATE: 4/18/03

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MOUNTIES SPLIT WITH KUTZTOWN – LASKOWSKI HITS WALK OFF HOME RUN IN OPENER

MANSFIELD – Jacklyn Laskowski (Olyphant/Mid Valley) blasted a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh to lift Mansfield University to a 4-3 win over Kutztown University in PSAC East softball action at  Helen Lutes Field Friday afternoon. Kutztown won the nightcap 9-6.

In the opener, Alison Tagliaferri (Linden/Jersey Shore) went the distance, scattering give hits and striking out six to earn her sixth win of the season.

Mansfield broke up a scoreless game with a solo run in the bottom of the fourth inning when Tagliaferri led off with a single and later scored on a single by Nancy Quinn.

Kutztown tied the game with a run in the top of the fifth, but the Mountaineers came right back when Jes Ricker led off with a double and later scored on an error.

Kutztown tied the game with a run in the sixth and took a 3-2 lead with another run in the seventh.

Ricker drew a walk to lead off the bottom of the seventh for the Mountaineers and two batters later, Laskowski launched a towering fly over the left centerfield fence for a walk off home run.

It was Laskowski’s six home run of the season, her fifth in a six game span, tying the school record for home runs in a season with Deb Gyms (1989) and Jen Barratt (1990). Jes Ricker (Shillington/Governor Mifflin) had two doubles.

In the nightcap, Kutztown broke open a 1-1 tie by scoring two runs in the top of the fourth, two in the fifth, one in the sixth and three in the seventh to take a 6-1 lead.

But Mansfield would stage a rally in the bottom of the seventh, scoring five runs to close the gap to 9-6 before Kutztown got the final out.

The Mountaineer improve to 15-10 overall and 7-7 in the PSAC East.

GAME ONE

Kutztown            000            011            1            3-5-1

Mansfield             000            110            2            4-7-0

Kutztown (16-12, 9-6): Tara White, Stacey Denlinger (5) (L, 5-4) and Terilyn Anderson

2b – Beth Morris RBI – Morris, Anderson, Melissa Matarese

Mansfield (14-9, 7-6): Alison Tagliaferri (W, 6-2) and Sytiva Seitz

2b – Jes Ricker 2, Beth Morris            HR – Jaclyn Laskowski (6)

RBI – Laskowski 3, Nancy Quinn

GAME TWO

Kutztown            010            221            3            9-14-4

Mansfield             010            001            4            6-12-4

Kutztown (17-12, 10-6): Kellie Evans (W, 7-2), Danielle Follosco (6), Tara White (7) and Sara Cook

2b – Evans                 3b – Evans RBI – Evans 2, Karli Hausman 2, Erin Livingston, Lisa Hetke, Stacy Bricker

Mansfield (14-10, 7-7): Liz Lyon (L, 2-4), Kristen Dean (4) and Seitz, Marissa Kosydar (5)

2b – Kristen Dean, Alexis Drebitko