• Game 1 Box Score
• Game 2 Box Score

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. (March 31) – The California University of Pennsylvania baseball team was dealt a pair of losses in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action at Slippery Rock on Monday afternoon, falling 5-3 in Game 1 and 8-7 in Game 2.

The losses drop the Vulcans to 13-11 overall and 2-6 in the PSAC West. Meanwhile, The Rock improves to 16-8 overall and 5-3 in conference play following a season sweep of Cal U.

The Vulcans got on the scoreboard in the top of the first in Game 1. Senior center fielder Ben Carson (Coal Center, Pa./California) singled and was advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt before sophomore designated hitter David Marcus (Whitby, Ontario/Father Leo J. Austin) connected on an RBI double to right field to give the Vulcans a 1-0 edge. Slippery Rock responded in the bottom half of the inning with two runs, including a solo home run, and added another pair of runs in the second inning to claim a 4-1 lead.

Marcus collected his second RBI of the game in the third when he drove in senior first baseman Derrik Zeroski (Clinton, Pa./West Allegheny) to narrow the gap to 4-2. The Rock added a run in the fifth to extend the lead back to 5-2 through five innings. Cal U managed to plate a run in the sixth inning, but left a pair of runners on base to end the frame. The Vulcans were unable to pull any closer and The Rock held on for the 5-3 win.

Junior starter Justin Taylor (Julian, Pa./Bald Eagle) was charged with the loss. He tossed all 6.0 innings and allowed five runs (four earned) on four hits while striking out three. Junior Kyle Schneider earned the win for Slippery Rock after limiting Cal U to three runs (two earned) on eight hits while striking out eight.

Marcus led the Vulcans at the plate, going 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI.

In Game 2, the Vulcans got on the board early once again. Carson led off the game with a walk and Zeroski advanced him to third with a double before Marcus followed with a sacrifice fly to give Cal U a 1-0 lead. After junior shortstop Matt Peters (Upper Darby, Pa./Upper Darby) walked and stole second, Zeroski scored on a wild pitch from third base. Peters, who also tried to score on the same wild pitch, was called out at the plate to keep the game at 2-0 after a half inning.

Cal U tacked on another run in the second after sophomore third baseman Mick Fennell (Butler, Pa./Butler) led the inning off with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly by senior Chuck Gasti (Carmichaels, Pa./Carmichaels) to put the Vulcans up 3-0. The Rock broke the game open in the second inning with six runs on four hits and were aided by an error and a hit batsman to take a 6-3 lead after two innings.

The Vulcans chipped away at the lead with a run in the third and a run in the fifth to pull within 6-5 after five and a half played. Peters collected both RBI, driving in Zeroski with a sac fly in the third and a single in the fifth.

Slippery Rock drove in a run on a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning to extend its lead to 7-5, but the Vulcans rallied for two runs in the sixth to even the game up at 7-7. Fennell and Gasti led the inning off with back-to-back singles and were advanced into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. After a pitching change, junior catcher Will Kaufman (Roanoke, Va./Patrick Henry) delivered a two RBI-single to tie the game. However, Kaufman was thrown out at second trying to extend his single into a double, ending the Vulcan threat.

The Rock led the bottom of the sixth off with a walk and advanced the runner to second with a sacrifice before they connected for a two-out RBI double to retake the lead at 8-7. Cal U threatened in the top of the seventh, but stranded the game-tying run at third to end the game.

Freshman Andrew Grace (Moon Twp./Moon) was saddled with the loss in Game 2 after allowing the go-ahead run in the sixth inning. Four Vulcan pitchers combined for eight runs (five earned) on nine hits and struck out five in the game.

Zeroski, batting third in the order, led the Vulcans at the plate with a 3-for-4 effort and three runs scored. Fennell and Kaufman each collected a pair of hits, while Kaufman and Peters each drove in two runs.

Cal U is back in action tomorrow, Tuesday, April 1, when it hosts Pitt-Johnstown for a conference doubleheader. First pitch at CONSOL Energy Park is scheduled for 1 p.m.