• Box Score

CALIFORNIA (May 14) – Sophomore catcher Alyson Johnson (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central) belted two homers on Friday afternoon to lead the Vulcans to a 7-4 victory against Fairmont State at Lilly Field in the first day of the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Tournament.

With the victory, the Vulcans improve to 35-12 overall and 16-1 at home this season. Top-seeded Cal U will face third-seeded Shepherd tomorrow, Friday, May 15, at 12 p.m. after the Rams posted an 8-3 win over second-seeded Kutztown. Meanwhile, Fairmont State falls to 33-19 this year and will face the Golden Bears in the second game of tomorrow's schedule with the loser being eliminated.

The game was tied midway through the fifth before Johnson hit her second solo homer of the game and ninth of the season to give Cal U a 5-4 lead. The Vulcans added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth on four hits. Junior second baseman Merissa Daley (Whitby, Ontario/Sinclair) started the rally with a one-out single and scored on an error following a double by junior third baseman Danielle Easton (Hanover, Pa./South Western). After a strikeout, Johnson delivered a two-out RBI single that plated Easton from second.

Junior Maria Greco (Pickering, Ontario/Notre Dame Catholic) earned the win after throwing 2.1 innings of scoreless, one-hit relief with four strikeouts. Senior starter Lauren Shaheen (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) took a no-decision after allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits in 4.2 innings of work, while fanning five.

The Vulcans took a quick 3-0 lead behind a two-run homer by Easton and solo longball by Johnson in the bottom of the first. Fairmont State scored a run in both the second and third to cut the deficit to 3-2 before Cal U answered by scoring a run on a two-out error in the third. The Fighting Falcons again scored a run in the fourth and fifth to even the game at 4-4 before Johnson's go-ahead homer in the bottom of the fifth.

Johnson anchored the offensive attack for Cal U, finishing 3-for-4 with two homers, three RBI and three runs scored. Daley, Easton and senior center fielder Julie Mackenzie (Mississauga, Ontario/Meadowvale) each added two hits, while Daley and Easton also scored two runs. The Vulcans' No. 1-5 hitters went a combined 10-for-18 with four extra-base hits (two doubles, two homers) and six RBI on Friday.

Fighting Falcons' starter Chelsea Cobb (24-12) suffered the loss after allowing seven runs (six earned) on 12 hits and two walks over 5.2 innings.

The Vulcans return to action in the second day of the NCAA Atlantic Regional Tournament when they host Shepherd at 12 p.m. In their meeting last season, Cal U claimed an 8-3 victory over Shepherd after Greco threw a complete game.

2010 NCAA ATLANTIC REGIONAL TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Friday, May 14
Game 1 - (#1) California (Pa.) d. (#4) Fairmont State, 7-4
Game 2 - (#3) Shepherd d. (#2) Kutztown, 8-3

Saturday, May 15
Game 3 - California (Pa.) vs. Shepherd, 12 p.m.
Game 4 - Fairmont State vs. Kutztown, 2:30 p.m. - loser eliminated
Game 5 - Loser of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4, 5 p.m. - loser eliminated

Sunday, May 16
Game 6 - Winner of Game 5 vs. Winner of Game 3, 12 p.m.
Game 7 - If necessary, same teams as in Game 6, 2:30 p.m.