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

ERIE, Pa. (April 20) – After entering Friday afternoon in a three-way tie for first place, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team suffered a pair of one-run losses in a doubleheader at Gannon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play, falling 3-2 and 5-4.

With the losses, the Vulcans fall to 23-19 this season with a 10-8 mark in divisional action. Cal U is now in third place in the league standings and two games behind PSAC West-leading Gannon and Mercyhurst with six games left in the regular season. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights improve to 23-17 overall and 12-6 in league play.

In Game 1, junior Kyle Petty (Stewartsville, N.J./Phillipsburg) suffered the loss after allowing three runs (two earned) on seven hits and one walk in 6.0 innings (90 pitches). Golden Knights' starter Paul McKennis improved to 7-3 this season after yielding two runs (one earned) on six hits with no walks in 7.0 innings.

The Golden Knights took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first before the Vulcans tied the game in the fourth, 1-1. After a single by freshman shortstop Matt Peters (Upper Darby, Pa./Upper Darby), senior catcher JB Sapienza (La Plata, Md./La Plata) delivered an RBI double to left-center field. Gannon countered with a pair of runs on two hits, one error and two sacrifices in the bottom of the inning to reclaim the lead, 3-1.

After a single and fielder's choice to open the fifth, senior center fielder Troy Handza (Glenshaw, Pa./Shaler) reached on a throwing error that allowed senior second baseman Kyle Bowser (Stoystown, Pa./North Star) to advance to third. Handza then stole second and a throwing error on the play allowed Bowser to score, 3-2.

Peters and Sapienza both collected a pair of hits in the loss, combining for four of the team's six hits.

In Game 2, junior Kyle Thomas (Munhall, Pa./Steel Valley) was saddled with the loss after yielding five runs (four earned) on six hits and two walks. He tied his season high with eight strikeouts in 5.1 innings (102 pitches) on Friday. Gannon's Landon Wahl (6-4) earned the win after tossing 1.2 innings of scoreless relief with three strikeouts.

The Vulcans took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when sophomore right fielder Chuck Gasti (Carmichaels, Pa./Carmichaels) scored on a sacrifice fly by Petty. Gannon answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning before adding two runs in the third to take a 4-1 lead.

In the fourth, Cal U cut the deficit to 4-2 with a fielder's choice after loading the bases with three-straight walks. The Vulcans then tied the game by scoring two runs on four hits in the top of the sixth, 4-4. Petty started the inning with a ground-rule double and advanced to third on a single by Handza. Sapienza then delivered an RBI single before Handza scored the tying run on a single by Peters.

The Golden Knights scored the eventual game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth. After a one-out double, senior Jim Kirker (Bridgeville, Pa./South Fayette) relieved Thomas on the mound an induced an infield pop-up before issuing an intentionally walk. First baseman Ryan Turner then lined a two-out, ground-rule RBI double to give Gannon a 5-4 lead. In the top of the seventh, Wahl retired the side in order to complete the doubleheader sweep for the Golden Knights.

The Vulcans were limited to four hits in the nightcap with Petty collecting the only extra-base hit.

Cal U returns to action tomorrow, Saturday, April 21, when it hosts a doubleheader against Gannon at CONSOL Energy Park, starting at 1 p.m. Live stats of the games will be available by clicking here.