• Box Score

WEST LAWN, Pa. (May 13) – In a rematch of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championship, the No. 33 California University of Pennsylvania baseball team claimed a thrilling 4-3 victory over No. 12 Kutztown at Owls Field on the first day of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Tournament.

With the win, the sixth-seeded Vulcans improve to 33-16 overall and extended their winning streak to six games. Cal U will now face fourth-seeded West Virginia State (29-13) tomorrow, Friday, May 14, at approximately 2:30 p.m. Meanwhile, top-seed and host Kutztown falls to 37-13 this year and will face fifth-seeded Mansfield in the double-elimination tournament tomorrow at 11 a.m.

“Kutztown was well deserving of the No. 1 seed and has an outstanding program,” said head coach Mike Conte. “This win puts in a good position for the tournament, but we haven't accomplished anything yet.”

Leading 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded and two outs, senior pitcher Nick Schreiber (Greencastle, Pa./Greencastle Antrim) induced groundout on a 3-2 count to shortstop Casey Teagarden (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) who made the throw to first on the run to get the runner and clinch the victory.

The game featured a match-up of two of the premier pitchers in the PSAC in redshirt sophomore Randy Sturgill (Leechburg, Pa./Leechburg) and senior Nathan Reed.

“We were fortunate to get a few runs early and we knew it would be tough to get anything off their pitcher (Reed),” said Conte. “We had another outstanding performance from our starter (Sturgill), who basically took the team on his back.”

Sturgill improved to 9-1 this season after yielding three runs (all earned) and scattering 10 hits over 8.1 innings of work. He also registered eight strikeouts, while issuing six walks. With the decision, Sturgill tied the single-season school record of nine wins set by Rick Krist in 1994.

“I was able to get ahead of the batters and then had to change speeds to keep them off-balanced,” said Sturgill. “Anytime you go out there and your team scores a run in the first inning you pitch better because the lead helps you relax.”

Reed (5-3), who transferred from Division-I Pitt and was selected in the 20th round of 2009 MLB Draft, suffered the loss after allowing four runs on five hits and nine walks in 6.2 innings.

The Vulcans manufactured a run in the first before taking a 4-0 lead in the second after loading the bases. The first three batters of the inning reached base safely before Teagarden collected a RBI groundout and senior right fielder Sam DiMatteo (Center, Pa./Center) later delivered a two-out, two-run double.

Kutztown trimmed the deficit to 4-3 in the bottom of the third after scoring three runs on four hits and a walk. The Golden Bears were in position to tie the game in the fourth, as they had a runner on third with two outs before Sturgill ended the inning with a strikeout of left fielder Shayne Houck, who was selected the PSAC East Player of the Year after leading the league in average, homers and RBI.

The Golden Bears again had runners in scoring position in both the fifth and seven innings before Sturgill worked out of both situations without allowing a run. Kutztown's best chance to tie the game came in the seventh when Houck reached third base to start the inning on a two-base error following a flyball down the left-field line. After a pop-up to first base, Sturgill registered a strikeout before issuing a two-out walk. The 6-1 left-hander then escaped the jam by forcing a flyout to centerfield.

“Situations like that show you what you're made of a pitcher,” said Sturgill. “No matter what happens during the inning, you just have to go out there and keep battling.”

In the ninth, Sturgill retired the first batter of the inning before issuing a four-pitch walk and allowing a single.

“It was an extremely difficult decision to pull Randy because his strike percentage is usually very high,” said Conte. “It was more a momentum thing, so I knew we needed to bring somebody fresh in.”

Schreiber, who closed the last two games in the PSAC Tournament, allowed a walk to the first batter he faced to load the bases. He then forced a foulout along the first-base line before inducing the grounder to Teagarden to register the save.

DiMatteo led the Vulcans' offense with two hits and is now tied for fifth in single-season school history with a team-high 70 hits this season. Teagarden and junior first baseman Adam Links (New Hope, Pa./Central Bucks East) each finished with a single and one RBI on Thursday.

Cal U is appearing in its fifth NCAA Tournament (1977, 1979, 1983, 2007 and 2010) and second in the last four years. The Vulcans improved to 4-8 all-time in the tournament after earning their first victory in the NCAA post-season since 1979.

2010 NCAA ATLANTIC REGIONAL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Thursday, May 13
Game 2 - (#2) West Chester d. (#5) Mansfield, 9-6
Game 1 - (#6) California (Pa.) d. (#1) Kutztown, 4-3
Game 3 - (#3) Seton Hill d. (#4) West Virginia State, 6-0

Friday, May 14
Game 4 - Kutztown vs. Mansfield, 11 a.m. - loser eliminated
Game 5 - California (Pa.) vs. West Virginia State, 2:30 p.m.
Game 6 - West Chester vs. Seton Hill, 6 p.m.

** If four teams remain after Game 6,
Saturday, May 15
Game 7 - Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 6, 11 a.m.
Game 8 - Winner of Game 4 vs. Loser of Game 6, 2:30 p.m.
Game 9 - Winner of Game 8 vs. Loser of Game 7, 6 p.m.

Sunday, May 16
Game 10 - Winner of Game 7 vs. Winner of Game 9, 1 p.m.
Game 11 - If necessary, same teams as in Game 10, 4:30 p.m.

** If five teams remain after Game 6,
Saturday, May 15
Game 7 - Loser of Game 5 vs. Loser of Game 6, 11 a.m.
Game 8 - Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5, 2:30 p.m.
Game 9 - Winner of Game 6 vs. Winner of Game 7, 6 p.m.

** If two teams remain after Game 9,
Sunday, May 16
Game 10 - Winner of Game 8 vs. Winner of Game 9, 1 [.m.
Game 11 - If necessary, same teams as in Game 10

** If three teams remain after Game 9,
Sunday, May 16
Game 10 - Winner of Game 8 vs. Loser of Game 9, 1 p.m.
Game 11 - Winner of Game 9 vs. Winner of Game 10, 4:30 p.m.