• Box Score

SAVANNAH, Ga. (March 8) – Senior shortstop Casey Teagarden (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) belted a grand slam to highlight a seven-run seventh inning on Tuesday, as the Vulcans claimed a 10-8 victory against Shippensburg at the Savannah Invitational.

With the win, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team improves to 8-5 this season with a 3-2 mark during its spring trip. Shippensburg, who won its previous two games, falls to 2-10 this year.

Leading 3-2, Shippensburg scored three runs in the bottom of sixth after having the bases loaded with one out. The Vulcans then responded in the seventh with seven runs on three hits and four walks to take a 9-6 lead. Senior right fielder Chuck Faust (Hershey, Pa./Hershey) started the inning with a single and later scored on a pinch-hit, RBI single by classmate Eric Berringer (Damascus, Md./Damascus). With runners on first and second, Cal U loaded the bases on a walk before senior first baseman Adam Links (New Hope, Pa./Central Bucks East) and senior left fielder Sean Welsh (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East) both drew bases-loaded walks to cut the deficit to 6-5. Teagarden then gave Cal U its first lead of the game, 9-6, when he tallied his first career grand slam with the Vulcans.

The Raiders countered with a run in the bottom of the inning before the Vulcans added an insurance run in the eighth when junior Kyle Bowser (Stoystown, Pa./North Star) scored on a fielding error after reaching base on a pinch-hit double. In the bottom of the ninth, designated hitter Jesse Smith led off the inning with a solo homer for Shippensburg and left fielder Tyler Uphouse followed with a single before junior reliever Ryan Hulme (Aliquippa, Pa./Center) entered the game. After striking out the first batter he faced, Hulme induced a groundout that allowed Uphouse to move into scoring position. Uphouse eventually reached third on a wild pitch and after a walk, Hulme forced a flyout to end the game.

Junior Jim Kirker (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette) earned the win in relief after allowing two runs in 2.2 innings and Hulme collected his first career save after not allowing a run in the ninth. Sophomore starter Kyle Thomas (Munhall, Pa./Steel Valley) took a no-decision after working 5.1 innings and yielding six runs (five earned) on seven hits.

Reliever Austin Bartley (0-1) suffered the loss for Shippensburg after allowing two runs in only 0.2 inning of work. Raiders' starter Ted Williams pitched 6.0 innings and allowed two runs on five hits and three walks.

Nine different Vulcans tallied a hit on Tuesday with sophomore designated hitter Kyle Petty (Stewartsville, N.J./Phillipsburg) posting the only multi-hit game, finishing 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

Cal U continues play in the Savannah Invitational tomorrow, Wednesday, March 9, when it faces Mount Olive (N.C.) at 6 p.m. Last season, the Trojans led NCAA Division II with a .387 team batting average and scored 11.3 runs per game, which also was the best in the country.