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Mansfield takes doubleheader from Rams at Fairfax Field

By Bob Madison - For the Chronicle | Apr 4, 2025

Pullen

SHEPHERDSTOWN — Mansfield University is tucked away in rural western Pennsylvania, with its campus and small student body. Rarely, if ever, do the Mountaineers make any real noise in the standings of any conference men’s sport. But this past Saturday, on an afternoon made especially for spring baseball, Mansfield had enough offense and effective starting pitching to dispatch Shepherd University — sweeping a conference doubleheader by scores of 6-5 and 8-5.

Only the day before in Mansfield, Shepherd had twice beaten the Mountaineers 6-0 and 6-4.

Making the long trip to Shepherdstown were a considerable contingent of Mansfield students and adult backers. They were rewarded with what could easily be the highlight of the Mansfield season — a sweep of a conference doubleheader on the opponent’s home grounds.

Shane Stossel was front and center in the one-run opener. He pitched six shutout innings (leaving with a 6-0 lead) and contributed a necessary three-run homer in the seventh, to give the visitors barely enough runs to survive Shepherd’s five-run rally in the bottom of the seventh.

Stossel’s pitching line showed him allowing just three hits, one lone walk and a hit batsman. He struck out seven.

Miller

Cole Serfass drove in three runs, was on base three times and had two of Mansfield’s eight hits that were gleaned off two Shepherd pitchers.

The late-inning Shepherd rally had hits from Trey Sine, Bodie Pullen, Ethan Burgreen and Aidan Greaney, but fell just short when the tying run was left stranded. Mansfield fell back, 3-0, in the nightcap but then rallied itself for eight runs, before the Rams could score again on Greaney’s second home run of the game.

Shepherd starting pitcher Allen Miller departed after four effective innings and taking a 3-1 lead with him. Three more Ram pitchers followed Miller, with two of them unable to hold the lead Miller’s pitching had given the team.

Jacob Houtz and Serfass each had two hits, while Stossel, Ryan Scott and Kahale Burns all could score two runs.

Greaney went 3-for-4 with 10 total bases. He drove in four runs and scored three times. Ethan Jones had two singles. Sine, Burgreen, Eli Lam, Jake Fix and Wyatt Miles all reached base two times.

Sine

The loss left the Rams with a 2-6 conference record and 14-14 mark overall. Mansfield climbed back to 4-4 in PSAC games and the Mountaineers and their group of satisfied fans left Shepherdstown on the grinding trip back home with a 10-13 overall record.

This weekend, the Rams are scheduled to face Kutztown University this afternoon in a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Fairfax Field and then travel to play the Golden Bears tomorrow in a 1 p.m. doubleheader in the eastern Pennsylvania town.

Burgreen

Greaney