• Box Score

WASHINGTON, Pa. (March 19) – The Vulcans extended their winning streak to five games on Wednesday afternoon, earning a 4-1 victory over Notre Dame (Ohio) at CONSOL Energy Park.

With the win, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team improves to 9-5 overall behind an 8-3 mark at CONSOL Energy Park. Meanwhile, Notre Dame drops to 7-8 this season after losing six of its last eight games. The Falcons were previously an independent NCAA Division II program before becoming a charter member of the Mountain East Conference (MEC) this year.

Sophomore Cory Craig (Youngsville, Pa./Youngsville) nearly tossed a complete game while making his first start of the year. He allowed one run (earned) and scattered eight hits over 8.1 innings (113 pitches) with no walks and five strikeouts. In three career starts against the Falcons, Craig has allowed just two earned runs in 21.0 innings for a staggering 0.86 ERA. Redshirt freshman Alex Ziegler (Butler, Pa./Butler) registered his first career save after inducing a double play to end the game in the top of the ninth.

The Vulcans jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first with a leadoff single by senior center fielder Ben Carson (Coal Center, Pa./California) and a two-out RBI double by sophomore designated hitter David Marcus (Whitby, Ontario/Father Leo J. Austin). Notre Dame tied the score at 1-1 in the fourth inning, utilizing a two-out single to plate the runner from second.

The Falcons mounted a two-out rally in the sixth and had runners on the corners following back-to-back, two-out singles before a fly-out ended the inning. In the bottom of the inning, senior first baseman Derrik Zeroski (Clinton, Pa./West Allegheny) led off with a single and stole second before advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt. Marcus then followed with a sacrifice fly for his team-leading 12th RBI of the season.

Cal U added an insurance run in both the seventh and eighth innings against Notre Dame. In the seventh, senior right fielder Chuck Gasti (Carmichaels, Pa./Carmichaels) reached on an infield single and advanced to second on the play via a throwing error. Senior second baseman Giovanni Morales (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) then delivered an RBI double to left-center field. Carson led off the next inning with an infield single and scored from first on an RBI double by junior shortstop Matt Peters (Upper Darby, Pa./Upper Darby).

In the top of the ninth, Notre Dame managed runners on the corners with one out before Ziegler made his first appearance since Feb. 23. He forced the first batter he faced to ground into a game-ending double play, the third turned by the Vulcans on Wednesday.

Carson and Zeroski, who batted Nos. 1 and 2 in the lineup, both finished with two hits and Carson also scored twice. Marcus tallied a pair of RBI in the victory for his fourth multi-RBI game of the year.

Notre Dame reliever Jay Sperry (0-1) suffered the loss after allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits in 3.0 innings of work.

The Vulcans open Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play this weekend against Gannon, beginning with a doubleheader on Friday, March 21, in Erie, Pa., at 1 p.m.