RELEASE DATE: 4/14/03

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: MOUNTIES SWEEP MILLERSVILLE IN SOFTBALL – JACLYN LASKOWSKI HITS TWO HOME RUNS 

MANSFIELD – Jaclyn Laskowski (Olyphant/Mid Valley) hit home runs in each game while Heather Bensinger (Tamaqua/Tamaqua) fired a two-hit shutout in the opener as Mansfield University swept Millersville University 8-0, 3-2 in a PSAC East doubleheader at Helen Lutes Field Monday afternoon.

  The Mountaineers broke up a scoreless game with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning on a two run single by Alison Tagliaferri (Linden/Jersey Shore) and sacrifice fly by Shannon McDonnell (Scranton/Bishop O’Hara).

Mansfield would end the game early with five runs in the bottom of the fifth, three of them coming off a home run by Jaclyn Laskowski to end the game.

Heather Bensinger allowed just two hits over five innings with three strikeouts for the complete game shutout.

The nightcap went 10 innings before the Mountaineers finally pulled the game out on the tiebreaker.

Mansfield scored a run in the bottom of the second when Tagliaferri singled to open the inning and scored on a single by Laskowski.

Millersville tied the game with a run in the third and take a 2-1 lead with a solo run in the top of the sixth. But in the bottom of the sixth, Laskowski would hit her second home run of the day – and fourth in the last two days – to tie the game at 2-2.

Both teams failed to score in extra innings before the tiebreaker rule in the 10^th. Millersville stranded a runner at third in the top of the inning before Jes Ricker (Shillington/Governor Mifflin) drove in Alexis Drebitko (Syracuse,NY/West Genesee) with a double for the win.

Alison Tagliaferri come in relief of starter Kristen Dean (Roaring Branch/Canton) in the fourth inning allowing just three hits over seven innings while striking out nine to earn her fourth win of the season.

Mansfield has won five of its last six games to improve to 13-9 overall and 6-6 in the PSAC East.

GAME ONE

Millersville             000            00            0-2-1

Mansfield             000            35            8-4-0

Millersville (7-14, 2-9): Laura Harris (L, 4-7) and Becki Catherman

2b – Catherman

Mansfield (12-9, 5-6): Heather Bensinger (W, 2-0) and Marissa Kosydar

HR – Jaclyn Laskowski (4)                   RBI – Laskowski 3, Tagliaferri 2, Shannon McDonnell

GAME TWO

Millersville            001            001            000            0            2-8-1

Mansfield             010            001            000            1            3-9-0

Millersville (7-15, 2-10): Rachel Armes (L, 2-6) and Catherman, Kelly Jacobs (7)

2b – Jenn Heberlig            RBI – Harris, Gina Batavick

Mansfield (13-9, 6-6): Kristen Dean, Alison Tagliaferri (4) (W, 4-2) and Sytive Seitz

2b – Jes Ricker, Seitz            HR – Jaclyn Laskowski (5)

RBI – Laskowski 2, Ricker