• Game 1 Box Score
• Game 2 Box Score

ERIE, Pa. (April 21) – Behind a complete-game shutout by freshman Jack Dennis (Toronto, Ontario/Birchmount Park), the Vulcans earned a doubleheader split at Gannon on Sunday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action, winning 7-0 before losing 3-0.

With the split, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team moves to 27-12 this season. The Vulcans and Golden Knights remain tied for first place in the divisional standings with an 11-5 record with eight games remaining in league play. Meanwhile, Gannon stands at 19-13 overall behind a 9-3 mark in home games.

Dennis posted his first career complete game while making his first start in conference play on Sunday. He scattered three hits and three walks over 7.0 innings (94 pitches), while tying a career high with six strikeouts. Dennis allowed only three base runners to reach scoring position, while Gannon had base runners in all but two innings. Golden Knights starter David Spaeder (0-2) suffered the loss after allowing five runs (three earned) on three hits and four walks in 3.2 innings (71 pitches).

The Vulcans took an early lead by scoring two runs in the top of the first. Junior center fielder Zak Schmidt (Moon Twp., Pa./Moon) drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt before scoring on an RBI double by senior first baseman Kyle Petty (Stewartsville, N.J./Phillipsburg). Senior designated hitter AJ Robinson (Milesburg, Pa./Bald Eagle) then delivered an RBI single through the middle to score Petty. Cal U stretched the lead to 3-0 in the third when junior Derrik Zeroski (Clinton, Pa./West Allegheny) scored on a RBI ground-out by Robinson following another double by Petty.

In the fourth, Cal U added a pair of runs after benefiting from back-to-back errors by Gannon with outs. Freshman left fielder Mick Fennell (Butler, Pa./Butler) opened the inning with a walk and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and error. Fennell then scored when Schmidt reached on an error before Petty later posted an RBI infield single with the bases load. The Vulcans continued to add to their lead in the fifth when sophomore catcher Will Kaufman (Roanoke, Va./Patrick Henry) lined a two-run double to right field after the Golden Knights dropped a foul ball earlier in the at-bat to Kaufman.

Petty paced the offensive effort, finishing 4-for-4 with two doubles, two RBI and one run scored. Kaufman added two hits and two RBI in the victory. Robinson also collected a pair of RBI and Fennell scored twice.

In Game 2, Fennell (4-3) was saddled with the loss after yielding three runs (all earned) on 10 hits in 6.0 innings (85 pitches). He still has allowed just nine earned runs in 44.1 innings this season for a team-best 1.83 ERA. Gannon senior Shayne Herold tossed a four-hit, complete-game shutout to improve to 7-0 this season.

The Golden Knights scored a run in both the first and second innings to take a 2-0 lead. Herold retired the first 11 batters of the game before Petty reached on a two-out error in the top of the fourth. Sophomore shortstop Matt Peters (Upper Darby, Pa./Upper Darby) broke up the no-hit attempt with a single after 4.1 innings before Gannon added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth.

Peters collected two of the team's four hits in the loss.

The Vulcans return to action on Tuesday, April 23, when they play a doubleheader at Notre Dame (Ohio) in South Euclid, Ohio, starting at 1 p.m.