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

CALIFORNIA (March 28) – The California University of Pennsylvania softball team earned its fifth walk-off victory of the season on Wednesday night with freshman Katie Natter (Baldwin, Pa./Baldwin) delivering a walk-off single in Game 2, as  the Vulcans rallied to a doubleheader split against Lock Haven at Lilley Field, falling 2-0 before winning 4-3.

With the split, Cal U moves to 19-5 overall and Lock Haven stands at 11-10 this season. The doubleheader was originally scheduled for last Saturday before being rescheduled due to weather.

In Game 2, the Bald Eagles broke a scoreless tie in the fifth by scoring three runs (all unearned) on three singles, one sacrifice bunt and one fielding error. Cal U trimmed the deficit to 3-1 in the bottom of the sixth when sophomore left fielder Stephani Ellis (Vancouver, British Columbia/Prince of Wales Secondary) lined an RBI double off the left-field wall.

The Vulcans opened the seventh with back-to-back doubles by freshman Madison Yanek (North Lima, Ohio/South Range) and senior Jillian Russell (London, Ontario/St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic). After a pitching change, senior Alyson Johnson (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central) belted a pinch-hit RBI double down the right-field line that allowed Russell to score the game-tying run, 3-3. Johnson advanced to third on a ground-out before Natter reached on a walk-off infield single.

Natter tied her career high with three hits, finishing 3-for-4 with one RBI. Sophomore second baseman Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, Ontario/Streetsville Secondary) added a pair of hits and scored once in the win.

Freshman Madison Cashner (Canton, Ohio/GlenOak) earned the win after tossing 1.1 scoreless innings of one-hit relief. Sophomore Kaitlyn Schilling (Morrisville, Pa./Pennsbury) took a no-decision after yielding three runs (all unearned) on eight hits in 5.2 innings (72 pitches). Lock Haven reliever Sarah Morse suffered the loss after allowing one run (earned) in only 0.1 inning of work.

In Game 1, sophomore Hope Spancake (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove) and Morse battled in a 2-0 pitcher's duel. Spancake (9-2) was saddled with the loss after yielding two runs (both unearned) on just two hits with eight strikeouts in 7.0 innings (111 pitches). Morse posted a four-hit, complete-game shutout with five strikeouts in 7.0 innings (75 pitches).

Spancake opened the game with five no-hit innings before she allowed her first hit of the game with one out in the sixth. In the bottom of the sixth, Cal U opened the inning with back-to-back singles by freshman pinch-hitter Paige Johnson (West Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) and Wideman. A ground-out advanced both runners into scoring position before Morse registered a strikeout and induced another ground-out to end the inning.

In the seventh, Lock Haven took a 1-0 lead on a double-steal attempt and a throwing error on the play allowed the runner from first to advance to third. Right fielder Erin Clay then delivered an RBI single to increase the lead to 2-0.

The Vulcans return to the diamond on Saturday, March 31, when they host a doubleheader against Mercyhurst at Lilley Field, starting at 1 p.m.