• Box Score vs. Winston-Salem State (N.C.)
• Box Score vs. Tusculum (Tenn.)
• Box Score vs. St. Andrews Presbyterian (N.C.)

PEMBROKE, N.C. (Feb. 6) – Junior shortstop Jillian Russell (London, Ontario/St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic) and freshman second baseman Shelby Lia (Whitby, Ontario/Donald A. Wilson) combined for 10 hits, nine RBI and six runs on Sunday, as the No. 13 Vulcans opened their season by winning two of three games at the UNC Pembroke Invitational.

The California University of Pennsylvania softball team started the invitational with a 9-0 victory over Winston-Salem State (N.C.) in six innings before suffering a 7-1 loss against Tusculum (Tenn.). The Vulcans then closed the night with a 12-3 win over St. Andrews Presbyterian in five innings at LRA Field.

Russell led the team with a .556 average (5-for-9) with a homer and four RBI, while Lia hit .500 (5-for-10) with a homer and five RBI. The trio of juniors Alyson Johnson (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central) and Kristen McKenzie (Senneville, Quebec/St. Thomas) and freshman Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, Ontario/Streetsville Secondary) each collected four hits, as Cal U posted a .402 team batting average (33-for-82) and scored 22 runs in three games.

Against Winston-Salem State, senior Maria Greco (Pickering, Ontario/Notre Dame Catholic) and freshman Kaitlyn Schilling (Morrisville, Pa./Pennsbury) combined for a three-hit shutout, 9-0. Greco scattered three hits and one walk while registering six strikeouts over 5.1 innings, while Schilling recorded the final two outs in her college debut.

Following a scoreless first, the Vulcans scored seven runs over the next three innings to seize control of the game. Senior third baseman Danielle Easton (Hanover, Pa./South Western) led the offensive effort, finishing with a two-run double and two-run homer. Russell, Lia and Wideman each added two hits with Russell hitting a solo homer.

Against Tusculum, freshman pitcher Hope Spancake (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove) was roughed up for six runs on 15 hits in 5.1 innings while the offense managed only one run on seven hits (one extra-base hit). Senior first baseman Sarah Spiering (Upper Burrell, Pa./Burrell) was the only Vulcan with a multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-3 with an RBI single.

The Vulcans responded with 12 runs on 14 hits in the 12-3 victory over St. Andrews Presbyterian. Lia finished 3-for-4 and four RBI following a solo homer to start the game. Russell and Johnson each posted two hits and two RBI, while McKenzie added a pair of doubles.

Schilling earned the victory after working 3.0 scoreless innings with five strikeouts. Fellow freshman Chelsea Carlson (Stow, Ohio/Stow-Munroe Falls) worked the final 2.0 innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on one hit and five walks in her college debut.

Cal U is scheduled to return to action in two weeks when it competes at the Limestone Invitational in Gaffney, S.C., on Feb. 25-27.