• Game 1 Box Score
• Game 2 Box Score

ERIE, Pa. (March 21) – Sophomore Jack Dennis (Toronto, Ontario/Birchmount Park) tossed a complete-game shutout in Game 2 on Friday afternoon, as the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team claimed a split at Gannon while opening Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play, falling 3-2 in Game 1 before winning 2-0 in Game 2.

With the split, the Vulcans move to 10-6 overall and start divisional play with a 1-1 record. Cal U has split the last 14 games against Gannon since sweeping the season series with the Golden Knights in both 2009 and 2010. Meanwhile, Gannon moves to 5-11 this season after splitting its last three doubleheaders and also opens league play with a 1-1 mark.

Dennis recorded the second complete-game shutout of his career, scattering four hits with no walks over 7.0 innings (75 pitches). He recorded three strikeouts and forced the Golden Knights to leave five runners on base, including four in scoring position. Gannon redshirt freshman Aaron Johnson (0-2) suffered the loss after allowing two runs (both earned) on five hits and four walks in 7.0 innings (100 pitches).

Both teams left runners in scoring position in the first inning before Cal U took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third. Senior second baseman Giovanni Morales (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) led off the inning with a single and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and wild pitch. Following a walk, Morales scored on a sacrifice fly by senior left fielder Derrik Zeroski (Clinton, Pa./West Allegheny).

The Vulcans added to the lead in the fourth when sophomore third baseman Mick Fennell (Butler, Pa./Butler) scored on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded. The Golden Knights threatened to answer in the bottom of the inning before senior right fielder Chuck Gasti (Carmichaels, Pa./Carmichaels) threw out a runner attempting to score from first on a two-out double.

Cal U nearly added to the lead in the sixth when it had runners on the corners and one out before Johnson prevented a ball from going past the infield the rest of the inning. In the bottom of the seventh, Gannon had runners on first and second with two outs before Dennis forced a foul-out to end the game.

In Game 1, the Golden Knights tied the game in the bottom of the sixth and scored the game-winning run later in the inning on a two-out throwing error. Gannon opened the inning with back-to-back singles before posting the game-tying double down the right-field line. With runners on second and third and no outs, redshirt freshman Alex Ziegler (Butler, Pa./Butler) retired the next two batters before the throwing error allowed the game-winning run to score. The Vulcans prevented another run from scoring in the inning, as junior catcher Will Kaufman (Roanoke, Va./Patrick Henry) and Ziegler recorded a caught stealing of home on a double-steal attempt.

Fennell (2-1) was saddled with the loss after allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits and one walk in 5.0-plus innings (72 pitches). He extended his consecutive scoreless streak to 19.2 innings before yielding a run in the bottom of the fourth. Gannon sophomore Aaron Cox (4-1), the reigning PSAC West Freshman of the Year, earned the win after allowing two runs (both earned) on four hits in 7.0 innings (92 pitches), while posting seven strikeouts.

The Vulcans took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when sophomore designated hitter David Marcus (Whitby, Ontario/Father Leo J. Austin), who reached on a ground-rule double, scored on a two-out RBI single by Gasti. After Gannon answered with a run in the fourth, Cal U reclaimed the lead in the fifth on two-out RBI single by senior center fielder Ben Carson (Coal Center, Pa./California).

Cox retired the last seven batters of the game in order, as the Vulcans were unable to make a rally in the seventh.

Cal U continues its weekend series with Gannon tomorrow, Saturday, March 22, with a home doubleheader at CONSOL Energy Park, starting at 1 p.m.