MANSFIELD, Pa. – Despite a standout performance in the circle by Brooke Darling (Springville, Pa./Elk Lake) in the nightcap, IUP softball was swept by Mansfield on Saturday afternoon.
 
Darling struck out seven and gave up just one earned run in a 2-1 game two loss, with the Crimson Hawks also falling 4-3 in the opener to fall to 15-11 overall and 3-5 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Central Division.
 
Mansfield (11-14, 3-5) got the better of the Crimson Hawks by taking late leads in each game. The Mountaineers scored twice in the fifth inning of game one to go on top 4-3, and broke a 1-1 game one tie with a run in the sixth inning of game two.
 
IUP totaled 11 hits on the afternoon, with three coming off the bat of Hannah Mercer (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg Area) while Taylor Mercurio (Pittsburgh, Pa./Seton-La Salle), Amanda Parrish (Dysart, Pa./Altoona) and Megan Gould (New Germany, Pa./Forest Hills) each had multi-hit games.
 
In the opener, the Crimson Hawks scored in each of the first three innings to take a 3-0 lead, but Mansfield got back into the game with solo homers in the bottom half of the third before taking the lead in the fifth.
 
IUP also struck first in the second game, with Gould knocking in Mercer with a single in the third. Mansfield tied the game that same inning and took the lead on a fielding error in the sixth.
 
The Crimson Hawks have a busy week ahead with four doubleheaders, including three home dates, starting on Tuesday at Podbielski Field against Edinboro.
 
For up-to-date game information, visit www.IUPAthletics.com and follow IUP softball on Twitter @IUPCrimsonHawk and @IUP_Softball.