• Box Score

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (April 28) – With the game tied at 5-5 and two outs in the bottom of the ninth, the Vulcans mounted a game-winning rally that was capped with a walk-off single by freshman catcher Kyle Petty (Stewartsville, N.J./Phillipsburg) to claim a 6-5 victory against Mansfield at Point Stadium on Wednesday in the first day of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament.

With the victory, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team improves to 29-16 this season. The Vulcans advance in the winner's bracket of the double-elimination tournament and will face defending-conference champion No. 7 West Chester (36-10) tomorrow, Thursday, April 29, at approximately 3:30 p.m. The Golden Rams advanced to the game with a 7-6 victory against Slippery Rock also on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Mansfield (32-16) and Slippery Rock (25-22) will face each other in the loser's bracket.

The Vulcans trailed 5-0 midway through the sixth before evening the score in the bottom of the inning. With the game still tied entering the bottom of the ninth, junior first baseman Adam Links (New Hope, Pa./Central Bucks East) started a two-out rally with a double before freshman Giovanni Morales (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) entered the game as a pinch runner for Links. Junior second baseman Aaron Ordy (Butler, Pa./Butler) then drew a five-pitch walk to give Cal U runners on first and second. Petty followed with the game-winning, RBI single through the right side of the artificial infield that scored Morales from second.

In the top of the ninth, Mansfield nearly took the lead before two stellar defensive plays kept the game tied. With no outs and runners on first and second, Links threw to junior shortstop Casey Teagarden (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) covering second base to prevent two runners from moving into scoring position. Mansfield then had runners on the corners with one out before its No. 3 hitter hit into an inning-ending double play.

Freshman left-hander Tyler Zimm (Fayetteville, W.Va./Oak Hill) improved to 6-1 this season following the 9.0-inning, complete-game victory. He allowed five runs on 10 hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Mansfield reliever Bernard Johnson (6-3) suffered the loss after allowing one run on three hits in 3.0 innings of work.

Despite the Vulcans having runners in scoring position in each of the first three innings, the game remained scoreless until the top of the fifth when the Mounties scored two runs on four hits. Senior right fielder Sam DiMatteo (Center, Pa./Center) made two crucial defensive plays to limit the inning to a pair of runs. After Mansfield scored its two runs, DiMatteo threw out a runner at home for the second out before crashing into the right-field fence to record the final out of the inning with two runners in scoring position.

Mansfield increased its lead to 5-0 with three runs in the sixth before Cal U countered with five runs in the bottom of the inning. Petty started the rally with a triple before scoring on a single by junior left fielder Sean Welsh (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East). Junior designated hitter Chuck Faust (Hershey, Pa./Hershey) then blasted a RBI double off the “Screen Monster” in left field. After a sacrifice fly scored Faust, Cal U evened the game at 5-5 on a two-run triple by sophomore center fielder Troy Handza (Glenshaw, Pa./Shaler), who named the PSAC West Hitter of the Week on Monday.

DiMatteo led the offense on Wednesday with three hits and one run scored, while Petty and Teagarden each collected a pair of hits and scored a run.

The Vulcans and Golden Rams will meet tomorrow in the second round of the winner's bracket. West Chester has won two of the three meetings against Cal U in the PSAC Tournament since 1994, including a thrilling 12-11 victory in 11 innings last year at Lancaster.

UPCOMING PSAC TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Thursday, April 29
Game 5 - Mansfield vs. Slippery Rock (loser eliminated) - 9:30 a.m.
Game 6 - Mercyhurst vs. East Stroudsburg (loser eliminated) - 12:30 p.m.
Game 7 - California (Pa.) vs. West Chester - 3:30 p.m.
Game 8 - Kuztown vs. IUP - 6:30 p.m.

Friday, April 30
Game 9 - Game 5 winner vs. Game 7 loser (loser eliminated) - 9:30 a.m.
Game 10 - Game 6 winner vs. Game 8 loser (loser eliminated) - 12:30 p.m.
Game 11 - Game 9 winner vs. Game 7 winner - 3:30 p.m.
Game 12 - Game 10 winner vs. Game 8 Winner - 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, May 1
IF one game is needed (both Game 7 & Game 8 winners in Games 11 & 12)
Game 13 - Championship Game

IF two games are needed (IF only one of Game 7 or Game 8 winners win Games 11 or 12)
Game 13 - IF needed game - 12 p.m.
Game 14 - Championship Game - 3 p.m.

IF three games are needed (IF both Game 9 & Game 10 winners Game 11 & Game 12)
Game 13 - Rematch of Game 11 - 10 a.m.
Game 14 - Rematch of Game 12 - 1 p.m.
Game 15 - Championship Game - 4 p.m.

PREVIOUS PSAC TOURNAMENT RESULTS
Wednesday, April 28
Game 1 - California (Pa.) d. Mansfield, 6-5
Game 2 - West Chester d. Slippery Rock, 7-6
Game 3 - Kutztown d. Mercyhurst 12-5
Game 4 - IUP d. East Stroudsburg, 7-3