Mansfield Edges Marauders

Friday, April 17

Mansfield, PA

1 p.m.

Millersville University

Mansfield

Mansfield Edges Marauders

4/17/2009 8:51:09 PM | Baseball

Game 1
Game 2

Mansfield, Pa. - The Millersville baseball team's offense produced 19 runs in Friday's PSAC Eastern Division doubleheader at Mansfield. The pitching staff, however, surrendered 22 runs as the Marauders were swept by scores of 15-13 and 7-6.

With the sweep, Mansfield (19-25, 7-11) drew even with Millersville (21-20, 7-11) in the race for the final playoff spot from the PSAC East. East Stroudsburg currently holds the fourth spot at 8-12 and Shippensburg is third at 9-9.

The Marauders were outstanding at the plate, totaling 15 hits in game one and 10 in game two. The two starters combined to allow 11 runs, and the bullpen fared no better, allowing eight runs in 2.2 innings in the first game and three runs in two innings in game two.

The Millersville bats wasted no time getting started, either, opening the doubleheader with three consecutive singles. Derek Kline, who tallied two hits and three RBIs in the opener, drove in his first run, and Cody Wile drove in a run later in the inning to give the Marauders a 2-0 lead.

The Marauders extended the lead to 4-1 after three at bats, but Mansfield struck for four runs in the third and six more in the fourth, brining the store to 11-5. Undaunted, the Marauder offense responded with six runs on five hits in the top of the next inning, led by a three-run homer from Scott Slembecker, Wile's second RBI of the game and a two-run single off the bat of Andrew Dochterman.

But with the score tied at 11, Mansfied notched four runs in the bottom of the fifth off Andrew Clemens (0-3). Miles Gallagher drove in two for Millersville in the top of the sixth, but it was not enough.

Keith Spencer and Ryan McCormick both totaled three hits, and Spencer hit his first homer of the season. McCormick also scored four runs and swiped two bases.

An extra inning double proved to be the difference for Mansfield in game two. The home team scored two runs in the seventh to extend the game and one in the eighth to clinch the win.

The Marauders once again led 2-0 after two innings, using RBI singles from Gallagher and Lance Miller. Mansfield reclaimed the lead off starter Jason Long with three runs in the third, but Long kept the game close, blanking the Mountaineers in four of his first five innings of work.

Millersville pushed its way in front 5-3 in the sixth on Miller's second RBI of the day and a two-run single from Adam Boyd. Mansfield cut into the lead with one more run in the sixth, but the Marauders extended the lead back to two with a seventh inning solo homer off the bat of Dochterman. Mansfield, however, knotted the game off Clemens (0-3), who took both of the losses. In the eighth, the second batter singled and later scored on a double down the left field line.

Dochterman finished the game with three hits and three runs scored. Kline extended his hitting streak to 11 games with a single as well.

The Marauders have an opportunity to even the series Saturday at home. The first pitched is scheduled for 1 p.m. Fans can follow the action on MSBN or via live stats.