• Game 1 Box Score
• Game 2 Box Score

WASHINGTON, Pa. (April 16) – The Vulcans maintained their two-game lead in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West standings and clinched a berth in the PSAC Tournament on Friday afternoon with a split of a doubleheader against IUP, winning 3-1 in Game 1 before losing 10-2 in the nightcap at CONSOL Energy Park.

With the split, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team moves to 24-12 overall with a 15-3 league record. Meanwhile, IUP now holds a 21-20 record and a 13-5 divisional mark. The Vulcans cinched at least the third seed out of the Western Division with six conference games left in the regular season after having the head-to-head tiebreakers with Gannon Slippery Rock.

In Game 1, the Vulcans led 3-1 entering the top of the seventh before the first two batters for the Crimson Hawks reached on a walk and single against starter Randy Sturgill (Leechburg, Pa./Leechburg). Freshman pitcher Kyle Petty (Stewartsville, N.J./Phillipsburg) relieved Sturgill and struck out the next three batters – IUP's 1-3 hitters – to record his third save of the season.

Sturgill improved to 7-1 on the mound after allowing one run (earned) on seven hits and three walks in 6.0-plus innings, while fanning seven. IUP starter Steve Mondschein (4-3) tossed a complete game in the loss, surrendering three runs (two earned) on six hits and two walks.

Cal U took a 2-0 lead in the second inning behind three singles, a sacrifice bunt and throwing error. Freshman third baseman Evan King (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg) opened the frame with a single and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt before scoring on a RBI single by junior shortstop Casey Teagarden (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield). Sophomore center fielder Troy Handza (Glenshaw, Pa./Shaler) then hit a grounder to the Crimson Hawks' third baseman who overthrew the first baseman, which allowed Teagarden to score on the play from first.

The Vulcans added a key insurance run in the third when junior designated hitter Chuck Faust (Hershey, Pa./Hershey) lined a RBI single up the middle, scoring senior right fielder Sam DiMatteo (Center, Pa./Center) from second.

After leaving two runners on in the fifth, the Crimson Hawks cut into the deficit in the top of the sixth on three singles before Sturgill again forced IUP to strand a pair of runners on base.

In the nightcap, the Crimson Hawks' Corey Betz (4-3) limited the Vulcans to only five hits with DiMatteo and King each collecting two hits. Betz earned a complete game victory after allowing two runs (one earned) with no walks and six strikeouts. Senior Nick Schreiber (Greencastle, Pa./Greencastle Antrim) was saddled with the loss after being roughed up for seven runs (five earned) on 12 hits and two walks.

IUP opened the game with a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first before DiMatteo scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the inning after reaching base with 17th double of the season. The two teams traded a run in the fourth before the Crimson Hawks broke the game open with three runs in both the sixth and seventh innings.

Cal U returns to action tomorrow, Saturday, April 17, when it travels to face IUP in a doubleheader at Owen Dougherty Field, starting at 1 p.m.