• Game 1 Box Score
• Game 2 Box Score

WASHINGTON, Pa. (March 21) – The California University of Pennsylvania baseball team managed a split of its Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West doubleheader against Clarion University on Saturday at CONSOL Energy Park, winning the first game 3-2 before suffering a 10-2 loss in the nightcap.

With the split, the Vulcans move to 17-6 overall and 6-2 in league play. Cal U has won 11 of its last 12 games dating back to March 11. Meanwhile, the Golden Eagles hold a 4-13 overall record and 1-4 divisional mark.

Junior right fielder Sam DiMatteo (Center, Pa./Center) led the offense in the two games, going 4-for-6 with two doubles, two homers, three RBI and two runs. In the four-game series against Clarion, the 5-11 junior batted .571 (8-for-14) with two doubles, four homers, eight RBI and six runs. He has belted a longball in four-straight games to increase his team-leading total to nine, which is tied for the seventh-best single-season mark in school history.

The opening game was a pitchers' duel between sophomore Chris Plummer (Niagara Falls, Ontario/Westlane) and senior Chuck Roller, as the two pitchers combined to allow only five runs 11 hits. Plummer earned his third win of the season, allowing two runs (one earned) and scattering five hits in 6.0 innings. Senior Mike Schmidt (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) earned his third-straight save after throwing a scoreless seventh. Roller was saddled with the loss, yielding three runs on six hits in 6.0 innings. He issued four walks and registered five strikeouts.

The Vulcans took a 1-0 lead in the second when freshman designated hitter Kyle Bowser (Stoystown, Pa./North Star) hit a bloop single down the leftfield line. The Golden Eagles responded with a pair of runs in the third to take a 2-1 lead before DiMatteo evened the contest at 2-2 with a solo homer (eighth of the season) to right-centerfield.

The Vulcans eventually took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fifth by executing a hit-and-run with Troy Handza (Glenshaw, Pa./Shaler) scoring from first on a double by DiMatteo. Cal U looked to increase its lead in the next inning before Schmidt was called out when attempting to score from third on wild pitch.

Clarion was in position to even the game in the top of seventh with runners on first and second with only one out before Schmidt retired the next two batters.

In the nightcap, the Golden Eagles jumped out to a sizeable 7-0 lead after roughing up a pair of Vulcan hurlers for seven runs (six earned) in three innings. Cal U plated a run on a sacrifice fly in the third to make the score 7-1. Freshman Pat Gannon (Pittsburgh, Pa./Upper Saint Clair) tossed 4.0 scoreless innings of relief before allowing a pair of runs in the seventh.

DiMatteo added a solo homer in the fifth for the second Cal U run of the game.

Junior Nick Schreiber (Greencastle, Pa./Greencastle Antrim) suffered the loss after allowing five runs (four earned) on three hits and three walks in two-plus innings. Junior Eric Kempton picked up the victory after scattering two runs (one earned) on two hits in five innings with three strikeouts.

Cal U returns to action on Wednesday, March 25, with a road non-conference game against Davis & Elkins College. First pitch is scheduled for a 1 p.m. in Elkins, W.Va.