• Game 1 Box Score
• Game 2 Box Score
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CALIFORNIA (March 31) – Senior third baseman Jillian Russell (London, Ontario/St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic) broke the all-time school record for homers on Saturday afternoon, as the Vulcans belted six homers in a doubleheader sweep of Mercyhurst in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play at Lilley Field, winning 7-1 and 6-4.

With the sweep, the California University of Pennsylvania softball team improves to 21-5 overall with a 3-1 mark in league action. Meanwhile, Mercyhurst falls to 17-16 this season with a 2-4 record in divisional play after being selected the preseason favorite by the league coaches.

Russell tied the record of 38 career homers set by Kristen Heslop (1999-02) in Game 1 before breaking the school-best mark in the first inning of Game 2. The reigning two-time PSAC West Athlete of the Year, Russell already has six homers this year after tying the single-season school record with 14 homers as a junior. She also moved into a tie with Christine Dillner (1992-95) for fifth place in school history with 148 career RBI on Saturday.

In Game 1, the Vulcans took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second when freshman catcher Paige Johnson (West Caldwell, N.J./James Caldwell) lined a two-out, two-run single. Cal U added one run in both the fourth and fifth innings with two-out RBI singles by Johnson and freshman shortstop Breanna Morris (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central), 4-0.

After Mercyhurst scored a run on a wild pitch in the top of the sixth, Cal U answered with three solo homers in the bottom of inning to take a 7-1 lead. Johnson led off the inning her third homer of the season before freshman center fielder Katie Natter (Baldwin, Pa./Baldwin) and Russell posted back-to-back homers later in the inning. Natter now leads the team with 10 homers this season, which is only three homers shy of the freshman school record set by Alyson Johnson (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central) in 2009.

Paige Johnson posted a career game against the Lakers, finishing 3-for-3 with a solo homer and four RBI. Russell and freshman right fielder Shelby Heyd (Innisfil, Ontario/Nantyr Shores Secondary) each finished with a pair of hits in the win.

Sophomore Hope Spancake (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove) improved to 10-2 this season after yielding one run (earned) on three hits and no walks. She also registered five strikeouts in 7.0 innings (96 pitches) while tossing her 12th complete game of the season. Lakers' starter Annie Truelove (5-6) was saddled with the loss after allowing six runs (all earned) on 10 hits and three walks in 5.1 innings (91 pitches).

In the nightcap, the Vulcans broke a 4-4 tie by scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, 6-4. With two runners in scoring position, Heyd scored the go-ahead run on a wild pitch before Alyson Johnson scored on a sacrifice fly.

Sophomore Kaitlyn Schilling (Morrisville, Pa./Pennsbury) earned the win after allowing four runs (all earned) on seven hits with two strikeouts in 7.0 innings (69 pitches). Mercyhurst used four pitchers in the loss with reliever Annie Truelove suffering the loss after yielding two runs (both earned) on three hits in 1.0 inning of work.

The Lakers took a 4-0 lead in the top of the first behind a three-run homer by catcher Jen Bower. Cal U responded in the bottom of the inning with a leadoff homer by sophomore second baseman Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, Ontario/Streetsville Secondary) before the record-breaking solo homer by Russell. The Vulcans trimmed the deficit to 4-3 in the second inning when Alyson Johnson posted her fifth homer of the season; she currently ranks fourth in school history with 34 career homers. Cal U later tied the game in the fifth with a two-out RBI double by Natter that scored Wideman from first.

Alyson Johnson paced the offensive effort, going 3-for-3 with a solo homer and two runs scored. Wideman also scored two runs and posted her first career homer in the win.

The Vulcans continue divisional play on Tuesday, April 3, when they play a doubleheader at Edinboro, starting at 2:30 p.m.