• Game 1 Box Score
• Game 2 Box Score
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WASHINGTON, Pa. (May 4) – Behind an extra-inning, walk-off victory in Game 1, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team earned a doubleheader split against IUP in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action on Saturday afternoon at CONSOL Energy Park, winning 4-3 in eight innings before falling 9-2 in the nightcap.

With the split, the Vulcans finish the regular season with a 33-16 overall record and in a three-way tie for first place in the divisional standings with a 15-9 mark. By virtue of tiebreakers, Cal U received the top seed from the PSAC West in next week's PSAC Tournament at Point Stadium in Johnstown, Pa. Meanwhile, the Crimson Hawks finish the year at 27-23 overall and tied for fourth place in the league standings with a 13-11 mark in league play, but fail to qualify for the post-season due to tiebreakers.

In Game 1, senior Kyle Thomas (Munhall, Pa./Steel Valley) earned the victory after tossing 2.0 innings of scoreless, no-hit relief. Sophomore starter GJ Senchak (New Castle, Pa./New Castle) took a no-decision after allowing three runs (two earned) on eight eights and three walks in 6.0 innings (97 pitches). Crimson Hawks starter Kyle Zaorski (3-5) suffered the loss after allowing four runs (three earned) on 11 hits and two walks in 7.2 innings (127 pitches).

After IUP manufactured a run in the top of the first, Cal U tied the score at 1-1 on just one single and sacrifice bunt. Junior third baseman Derrik Zeroski (Clinton, Pa./West Allegheny) led off the inning with a single through the middle and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt by junior left fielder John Orr (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler), as no IUP player initially covered third base. Zeroski then scored on a throwing error on a late attempt to throw him out at third.

In the third, Cal U took a 2-1 lead when Orr lined a two-out RBI single through the middle. The Crimson Hawks benefited from a pair of two-out errors in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 2-2 before the Vulcans answered with a run in the bottom of the inning. Zeroski reached on a hit by pitch and stole second before scoring on an RBI single by Orr down the left-field line, 3-2. IUP again tied the game in sixth with a two-out, bases-loaded walk. The Vulcans looked to break the tie in the seventh when Zeroski lined a one-out triple to right-center field before the ended inning on a called third strike with two runners in scoring position.

Cal loaded the bases in the bottom of the eighth on a single by freshman Mick Fennell (Butler, Pa./Butler) and back-to-back walks. Zeroski then drew a five-pitch walk to mark the third walk-off victory for the Vulcans this season.

Orr finished 2-for-2 with two RBI and Zeroski went 2-for-3 with one RBI and two runs scored. Senior first baseman Kyle Petty (Stewartsville, N.J./Phillipsburg) added a pair of hits and stole three bases to raise his league-leading total to 36, which ranks as the fourth-highest single-season total in school history.

In Game 2, Fennell (5-4) suffered the loss after allowing a career-high five runs (one earned) on seven hits in 5.0 innings (74 pitches). IUP senior Matt Szukics (4-2) earned a complete-game victory, yielding two runs (one earned) on six hits in 7.0 innings (84 pitches).

The Crimson Hawks took advantage of a two-out error in the second, scoring four runs with a three-run homer by first baseman Ryan Uhl. Cal U countered with one run in the bottom of the inning, as freshman designated hitter David Marcus (Whitby, Ontario/Father Leo J. Austin) scored on a sacrifice fly. IUP posted a solo homer to lead off the fifth before scoring four runs in the sixth with a three-run homer by center fielder Brett Quiggle, 9-1. In the bottom of the inning, senior first baseman AJ Robinson (Milesburg, Pa./Bald Eagle) lined a double to right field and later scored on a two-out RBI single by Marcus.

Six different players tallied a hit in the loss with Robinson posting the only extra-base hit for the Vulcans.

Cal U opens play in the PSAC Tournament on Wednesday, May 8, when it faces West Chester, the fourth seed from the PSAC East, at approximately 12:30 p.m. The Vulcans and Golden Rams last met in 2010 when the teams split a pair of post-season games.