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

CALIFORNIA (April 15) – The No. 19 California University of Pennsylvania softball team collected 21 hits in a doubleheader split with Gannon, winning the first game, 7-0, before dropping the nightcap, 8-6, in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West doubleheader at Lilly Field on Friday afternoon.

With the split, the Vulcans' record now stands at 28-10 with a 12-2 mark in conference play, having already clinched the top seed from the West in next week's PSAC Tournament. The Golden Knights record moves to 20-18 overall and 7-9 in the league.

Freshman Hope Spancake (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove), the PSAC West Pitcher of the Week, picked up the win in relief in Game 1, tossing the final 3.2 innings (44 pitches) and allowing no runs and no hits with three strikeouts to improve her record to 14-2. Gannon starter Megan Dragon suffered the loss after allowing seven runs (all earned) on 12 hits with one walk and two strikeouts.

In the bottom of the first, junior shortstop Jillian Russell (London, Ontario/St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic) belted a two-run homer - 12th of the season - to give the Vulcans an early 2-0 lead. Cal U added two more runs in the second, 4-0, when freshman right fielder Stephani Ellis (Vancouver, British Columbia/Prince of Wales Secondary) connected on an RBI double and later scored on a single by classmate second baseman Shelby Lia (Whitby, Ontario/Donald A. Wilson). In the fifth, the Vulcans added three more runs on an RBI single by senior first baseman Sarah Spiering (Upper Burrell, Pa./Burrell) and a two-out, two-run single by classmate third baseman Danielle Easton (Hanover, Pa./South Western), 7-0.

Easton, Spiering, Russell and freshman catcher Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, Ontario/Streetsville Secondary) each posted two-hit performances with Easton and Russell each adding two RBI.

Freshman Kaitlyn Schilling (Morrisville, Pa./Pennsbury) suffered the loss (9-5) in the nightcap after surrendering six runs (one earned) on two hits and two walks in 1.2 innings (50 pitches). Erica Bartholow earned the victory (6-8) for Gannon, tossing a complete game and allowing six runs (all earned) on nine hits with three walks and four strikeouts in 7.0 innings (135 pitches).

The Golden Knights collected seven runs in the top of the second inning behind five hits and two errors to build an early 7-0 lead. Cal U answered back in the bottom of the third with four runs as Russell and junior designated player Alyson Johnson (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central) each collected RBI singles, while Spiering added an RBI double and Easton tallied an RBI on a sacrifice fly, 7-4.

Gannon added another run in the sixth on a solo homer by designated player Sarah Rinks, 8-4. The Vulcans responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning on a Russell two-run homer (13th of the season), 8-6.

Russell finished with two hits, three RBI and two runs scored in the nightcap and junior left fielder Kristen McKenzie (Senneville, Quebec/St. Thomas) added two hits.

The Vulcans return to action tomorrow, Saturday, April 16, when they travel to Edinboro to conclude the regular seaon with a 1 p.m. doubleheader.