• Game 1 Box Score
• Game 2 Box Score

ERIE, Pa. (April 20) – Senior third baseman Jillian Russell (London, Ontario/St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic) tied the single-season school record with her 14th homer on Friday afternoon, as the No. 23 Vulcans combined for 25 runs in a doubleheader sweep at Mercyhurst in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play, winning 14-5 and 11-5.

With the victories, the California University of Pennsylvania softball team improves to 32-6 overall and 12-2 in divisional action. The Vulcans have already secured the top seed from the PSAC West in next week's league tournament and are ranked second in the latest NCAA regional rankings. Meanwhile, the Lakers fall to 24-21 this season behind a 7-7 mark in league play.

The two-time PSAC West Player of the Year, Russell has posted 14 home runs in each of the last two seasons and shares the single-season school record with Jen Wagner (1994) and Jennifer Doty (2005). Already the school's all-time leader in homers, Russell ranks fourth in PSAC history with 47 homers in her career.

In Game 1, six Vulcans posted multi-hit games and five starters finished with multi-RBI games. Senior left fielder Kristen McKenzie (Senneville, Quebec/St. Thomas) tied her season high with three hits, finishing 3-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored. Sophomore second baseman Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, Ontario/Streetsville Secondary) went 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored, while sophomore first baseman Shelby Lia (Whitby, Ontario/Donald A. Wilson) collected two hits, drove in two runs and scored twice. Russell also finished 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and two runs scored.

Sophomore Hope Spancake (Pine Grove, Pa./Pine Grove) earned the win after allowing two runs (both earned) on six hits with eight strikeouts in 7.0 innings (89 pitches). Mercyhurst starter Kristi Janoske (7-7) suffered the loss after surrendering nine runs (four earned) on six hits and two walks in 1.1 innings.

The Vulcans seized control of the game early, scoring six runs on four hits and two errors in the top of the first. Leading 1-0, freshman shortstop Breanna Morris (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central) lined a two-run single through the middle before Lia and Wideman collected a pair of two-out RBI singles. Cal U added to its lead in the top of the second by scoring five runs on five hits, including three-straight RBI singles with two outs.

In the third, the Vulcans stretched the lead to 12-0 after sophomore designated player Stephani Ellis (Vancouver, British Columbia/Prince of Wales Secondary) belted a solo homer – the first of her career. Mercyhurst countered with a run in the bottom of the inning before scoring four runs in the fifth behind a three-run homer by catcher Jen Bower, 12-5. Russell then tied the single-season school record with a two-run homer in the top of the seventh to give Cal U a 14-5 lead.

In Game 2, the Vulcans tallied 15 hits after six players posted multi-hit games. Freshman right fielder Shelby Heyd (Innisfil, Ontario/Nantyr Shores Secondary) went 3-for-4 with one double, one RBI and three runs scored, while Morris finished 2-for-4 with one double, two RBI and two runs. Senior catcher Alyson Johnson (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central) collected a pair of hits and recorded a pair of RBI in the nightcap, while Ellis, Russell and Wideman each finished with two hits in the victory.

Sophomore Kaitlyn Schilling (Morrisville, Pa./Pennsbury) improved to 13-3 this season after allowing five runs (two earned) on seven hits and two walks in 7.0 innings (78 pitches). Lakers' starter Annie Truelove (9-11) was saddled with the loss after yielding seven runs (six earned) on nine hits in 5.0 innings.

Trailing 3-0 after three innings, the Vulcans scored four runs on four hits to take a 4-3 lead. With two runners in scoring position, Heyd, Johnson and Morris then collected three-consecutive RBI singles before Johnson scored on a sacrifice fly by Lia. Cal U added to its lead with an RBI single by Russell in the fifth before Bower tied the game with a two-run homer, 5-5.

In the sixth, Cal U broke the tie with a three-run homer by Lia – her sixth of the season – before adding three runs in the seventh, 11-5. With runners on second and third, Johnson lined a RBI single before Heyd scored on a fielder's choice. After Lia reached on a two-out error, freshman Madison Yanek (North Lima, Ohio/South Range) collected a pinch-hit RBI single.

The Vulcans are scheduled to close the regular season tomorrow, Saturday, April 21, with a doubleheader at Slippery Rock, starting at 1 p.m. Live stats of the game will be available by clicking here.