• Box Score

WASHINGTON, Pa. (March 15) – Freshman starter Cory Craig (Youngsville, Pa./Youngsville) earned his first career win on Friday afternoon, as the Vulcans extended their winning streak to nine games with a 4-1 victory against West Liberty at CONSOL Energy Park.

With the win, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team improves to 12-2 overall behind a 9-2 mark in home games. The Vulcans have played eight games, including three doubleheaders, in the last eight days and have out-scored their opponents by a 66-13 margin during that span. Meanwhile, West Liberty falls to 6-6 this season.

Craig tossed a career-high 7.1 innings (117 pitches) in his first start since Feb. 27. He yielded one run (earned) and scattered eight hits and one walk while recording four strikeouts. After allowing a run in the first, Craig forced the Hilltoppers to leave runners in scoring position in four innings. Redshirt senior Eric Francis (New Castle, Pa./Shenango) earned his second save of the year after posting 1.2 innings of no-hit, scoreless relief.

After West Liberty took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, Cal U countered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Junior left fielder Zak Schmidt (Moon Twp., Pa./Moon) opened with a walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt before scoring on a double by senior catcher Kyle Petty (Stewartsville, N.J./Phillipsburg), who later scored on a two-out double by sophomore designated hitter Justin Taylor (Julian, Pa./Bald Eagle).

Craig retired the Hilltoppers in order in the second before the Vulcans added one run on three singles in the bottom of the inning. Junior third baseman Derrik Zeroski (Clinton, Pa./West Allegheny) led off with a single and moved to third on a hit-and-run single by junior right fielder Chuck Gasti (Carmichaels, Pa./Carmichaels) before scoring on a fielder's choice.

In the third, West Liberty loaded the bases with two outs before Craig ended the threat by inducing a ground-out. The Vulcans mounted a two-out rally in the bottom of the inning to take a 4-1 lead, as Taylor scored from first on an RBI double by sophomore shortstop Matt Peters (Upper Darby, Pa./Upper Darby).

The Hilltoppers again had runners in scoring position in the fourth and fifth before Craig worked out of both innings without allowing a run. In the top of the seventh, West Liberty had runners on first and second with one out before Craig induced an inning-ending double play. The next inning, West Liberty had runners on the corners with one out before Francis entered the game and forced another inning-ending double play. Francis then retired the side in order in the ninth to preserve the victory.

Taylor, who tossed a complete-game shutout on Wednesday, went 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored. Gasti also collected two hits in the win and is now hitting .533 (8-for-15) with six RBI and five runs over the last eight games.

Cal U returns to action on Sunday, March 17, when it hosts defending-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Champion Grand Valley State (Mich.) for a doubleheader at CONSOL Energy Park, starting at 11 a.m.