• Game 1 Box Score
• Game 2 Box Score

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. (March 20) – The Vulcans were swept by Slippery Rock in a pair of pitchers' duels on Sunday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action at Jack Critchfield Park, losing 3-2 and 2-1.

With the losses, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team falls to 11-8 overall and 1-3 in divisional play. The Vulcans lost the three games to The Rock this weekend by only a combined four runs. Meanwhile, Slippery Rock improves to 10-8 this season with a 3-1 mark in league action.

In Game 1, The Rock broke a 2-2 tie in the bottom of the seventh when catcher Derek DiRuscia scored the game-winning run on a passed ball. Senior Sean Welsh (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East) suffered the loss in his first start of the year after allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits and six walks in 6.2 innings with eight strikeouts.

Sophomore second baseman Evan King (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg) started the game with a leadoff walk and later scored on a RBI single by senior third baseman Aaron Ordy (Butler, Pa./Butler) before The Rock tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first. In the third, freshman left fielder Ben Carson (Coal Center, Pa./California) led off the inning with a double and eventually scored on a sacrifice fly by junior center fielder Troy Handza (Glenshaw, Pa./Shaler) to give the Vulcans a 2-1 lead.

Slippery Rock evened the score, 2-2, in the sixth on a two-out double by right fielder Derek Carr. Cal U looked to regain the lead in the top of the seventh when it had runners on the corners and two out before reliever Ryan Oglesby induced a grounder to end the rally. In the bottom of the inning, DiRuscia drew a one-out walk and advanced to third on two wild pitches. Welsh then recorded his second strikeout of the inning before a passed ball to pinch hitter Tyler Jewett that allowed DiRuscia to score the game-winning run.

Ordy and Carson combined for four of the team's six hits, each finishing 2-for-3.

Oglesby (3-0) earned the win after tossing 1.0 inning of scoreless relief and starter Lee Trivino took a no-decision despite allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits in 6.0 innings of work.

In the nightcap, sophomore starter Kyle Thomas (Munhall, Pa./Steel Valley) was saddled with the loss (0-3) after yielding two runs (both earned) on five hits and two walks in 5.0 innings. Slippery Rock's Joby Lapkowicz (1-2) earned the win after allowing one run (unearned) in 5.0 innings and freshman John Kovalik registered the save after working 2.0 scoreless innings of relief.

The Rock took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first before the Vulcans answered with a run in the fifth when King scored on a sacrifice fly from Ordy. In the top of the sixth, Cal U had runners on first and second before Kovalik ended the inning with a strikeout and retired the side in order in the seventh.

Junior designated hitter Kyle Bowser (Stoystown, Pa./North Star) collected two of the five hits for the Vulcans, finishing 2-for-3.

Cal U returns to the diamond for a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday, March 22, against Washington Adventist (Md.). The twinbill in Takoma Park, Md., is scheduled for a 12 p.m. start.