LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven University softball team (8-12, 8-12 PSACE) used stellar offense and strong pitching performances to score a series sweep over Mansfield University (2-14, 2-14 PSACE) in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) East division play.

Lock Haven and Mansfield opened the four-game PSAC East series on Thursday with doubleheader action in Lock Haven. The Bald Eagles came away with the doubleheader sweep in day one of the series and took to the road on a three-game win streak. Lock Haven added another two today, dominating in Mansfield.

Lock Haven claimed an 18-8 win in the first matchup of the day. Game one's 18 runs marked the most runs since LHU's 2009 National Championship season when Lock Haven dominated Ohio Valley 21-1 on March 14, 2009.

Game two was a tightly contested thriller that saw a Lock Haven late rally in a seventh inning winner. Eventually Lock Haven would come away with the series sweep, winning game two 6-5.

Game 1 Final: Lock Haven 18-8

The Bald Eagles came out swinging in the top of the first inning behind seven hits, a three-run homer by Sydney Arrigale (Blackwood, N.J./ Highland Regional) and a grand slam by Riley McClellan (Granvillesummit, Pa./ Troy).

McClellan lit the fuse on the fireworks in the first at-bat of the game. She knocked a triple to right center and scored on an RBI single by Summer Peters (Lancaster, Pa./ Lampeter-Strasburg). The Bald Eagles stepped on the gas and plated another eight-runs on the backs of Arrigale's and McClellan's bases clearing homeruns to go up 9-0.

In the second, Morgan Karasek (Bangor, Pa./ Bangor) sent a ball well over the left-field fence moving the scorecard to 12-0 and the homerun total to three on the day for Lock Haven. Mansfield attempted a response, they scored three runs on three hits in the second before starting pitcher Madison Waltman (Turbotville, Pa./ Warrior Run) put an end to the attempt, leaving two Mounties on base.
 
Haley Lestician (Lawrenceville, N.J./ Lawrence) kept the homerun derby going, lifting a ball in the third for another two runs.
 
The Mounties scored five in the bottom of the fourth to bring the game within seven before relieving pitcher Kinley Gioglio (Stroudsburg, Pa./Stroudsburg) stopped the bleeding and quieted the Mansfield contingent with the bases loaded.
 
Lock Haven added insurance in the fifth with three more runs, thanks in part to another two-RBI single off the bat of McClellan. That was all she wrote for game one as the score was set to 18-8, the eventual final.

McClellan finished game one with six RBIs on three hits. She only needed a double to complete the cycle. Centerfielder Karasek also had herself a game, going 3-for-3 with three runs and three RBIs.

Despite those standout performances, it was a team effort for the Bald Eagles who combined for 17 hits and held the Mounties to just eight runs despite their 12 hits.

In the circle, Waltman came away with the win and brought her individual record to (3-5).

The game's four homeruns marked the most in a game since the Bald Eagles four-homerun 8-4 victory over Mercyhurst on April 26, 2012.

Game 2 Final: Lock Haven 6-5

McClellan's magic moved her around the bases again. She found home in the top of the first after a walk and a subsequent sacrifice fly by Sydney Arrigale later in the half. The top of Mansfield's lineup responded by plating two runs in the bottom half of the inning. The score moved to 2-1 Mansfield.

Mansfield added to the lead in the third with a solo homerun by Gabby Drum, before Casey Carpenter (Springbrook, Pa./ North Pocono) responded with a solo-shot of her own in the top of the fourth to bring the contest to 3-2.

In the sixth, the game came alive as the Bald Eagles rallied after Arrigale hit an RBI single up the middle. Mikayla Ruppert (Bethlehem, Pa./ Liberty) then took a triple to center field, scoring another two. The Bald Eagles took the 5-3 lead.

Mansfield responded in the bottom half with a pair of runs themselves, scoring a pair on a solo homerun and later on a sacrifice fly to tie the game.

In the top of the seventh, Sydney Skrzypiec (West Grove, Pa./ Avon Grove) doubled to left center to put the winning run on base. Head coach Kelly Shannon elected to pinch run Amanda Criss (Bel Air, Md./ Bel Air) for Skrzypiec and Peters eventually knocked her home with another RBI single. The Bald Eagles then held off a surging Mansfield in a bases loaded scenario in the bottom of the seventh to take home the game two win 6-5.

Jada Schellhammer (Tamaqua, Pa./Tamaqua) handled pitching duties for Lock Haven in game two, pitching the full seven innings and scattering eight hits in the contest.

Next Up:
The Bald Eagles get back into action on Friday, April 16 when they travel to West Virginia for the first two games of a weekend series vs Shepherd. First pitch on the games is scheduled 2:30 and 4:30 p.m.