• Game 1 Box Score
• Game 2 Box Score
• Photo Gallery

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. (April 14) – The No. 19 Vulcans clinched the top seed from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West and hosting rights in the opening round of next weekend's PSAC Tournament by claiming a doubleheader sweep against Slippery Rock on Thursday afternoon, winning 7-2 and 8-4.

With the victories, the California University of Pennsylvania softball team improves to 27-9 overall with an 11-1 mark in divisional play. Since the PSAC adopted the three division format prior to the 2009 season, the Vulcans have compiled an impressive 39-3 mark (.929) against divisional opponents. Meanwhile, Slippery Rock drops to 19-11 this season and 6-7 in league action.

In Game 1, freshman catcher Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, Ontario/Streetsville Secondary) and senior third baseman Danielle Easton (Hanover, Pa./South Western) each collected three hits and freshman right fielder Stephani Ellis (Vancouver, British Columbia/Prince of Wales Secondary) tallied three RBI.

Freshman Hope Spancake (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove), who was named PSAC West Pitcher of the Week on Monday, recorded the win in her sixth-straight start to improve to 13-2 this season. She yielded two runs (both earned) on seven hits and one walk in 7.0 innings against The Rock.

After Cal U scored a run in the second, Slippery Rock took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the third on a two-run homer by third baseman Jenna Geibel. The Vulcans then reclaimed the lead in the sixth when they scored five runs on six hits and one error, 6-2. Senior first baseman Sarah Spiering (Upper Burrell, Pa./Burrell) led off the inning with a solo homer, her seventh of the season, before Cal U then scored four runs with two outs. Ellis and freshman second baseman Shelby Lia (Whitby, Ontario/Donald A. Wilson) collected RBI doubles before Wideman and junior shortstop Jillian Russell (London, Ontario/St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic) followed with back-to-back, two-out RBI singles. Cal U then added an insurance run in the top of the seventh on a RBI double by Ellis, 7-2.

Slippery Rock starter Shauna Walker (6-6) suffered the loss after allowing five runs (all earned) on 10 hits in 5.1 innings.

In the nightcap, freshman Kaitlyn Schilling (Morrisville, Pa./Pennsbury) earned the complete-game victory to move to 9-4 this season. She yielded four runs (all earned) and scattered nine hits in 7.0 innings with five strikeouts on Wednesday.

Cal U took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second on a RBI single by Easton. The Rock evened the score at 1-1 in the bottom of the second before the Vulcans reclaimed the lead by scoring six runs on five hits and one error in the third. Cal U took a 3-1 lead on a two-run homer by Alyson Johnson (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central) before second center fielder Merissa Daley (Whitby, Ontario/Sinclair) drew a bases-loaded walk. After The Rock made a pitching change, Lia cleared the bases with a three-run double to expand the lead to 7-1.

The Rock countered with a run in the fourth on a solo homer by freshman first baseman Breanna Tongel before the Vulcans responded in the sixth with a two-out, RBI single by junior left fielder Kristen McKenzie (Senneville, Quebec/St. Thomas). Slippery Rock cut the deficit to 8-4 in the bottom of the seventh on a two-run homer by Geibel (second of the day, fifth of the season) before Schilling induced a pop-up to end the game.

Johnson and McKenzie each tallied three hits in the nightcap, while Easton also posted a multi-hit game by going collecting two singles.

In the loss, Slippery Rock used three pitchers with starter Shaylee Ianno (12-4) suffering the loss after allowing seven runs (three earned) on seven hits in 2.2 innings.

The Vulcans are set to return to action tomorrow, Friday, April 15, when they host Gannon on Senior Day. The doubleheader at Lilly Field is scheduled for a 2:30 p.m. start. Live stats will be available by clicking here.