• Game 1 Box Score
• Game 2 Box Score

CALIFORNIA (April 16) -- The No. 22 Vulcans extended their winning streak to 17 games with a doubleheader sweep of Mercyhurst, winning 9-1 and 5-3, Wednesday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action at Lilley Field.

The victories improve the California University of Pennsylvania softball to 21-4 overall and 14-0 in league play. Meanwhile, the Lakers fall to 5-9 in the PSAC West and 11-19 overall.

In Game 1, the Vulcans took advantage of four Laker errors and earned a 9-1 walk-off run-rule victory.    

Cal U put two base runners on in the bottom of the first after Mercyhurst pitcher Annie Truelove hit senior catcher Natalie Wideman (Mississauga, Ontario/Streetsville Secondary) to lead off the game and sophomore first baseman Lindsay Reicoff (Pittsburgh, Pa/Chartiers Valley) reached base on a dropped fly ball. Senior second baseman Shelby Lia (Whitby, Ontario/Donald A. Wilson) followed by hitting a ground ball to shortstop, but an errant throw to the plate allowed both Wideman and Reicoff to score. The Vulcans continued to add to their lead in the opening frame when they loaded the bases and junior right fielder Shelby Heyd (Innisfil, Ontario/Nantyr Shores Secondary) delivered a three-RBI double, 5-0.

Cal U tacked on two more runs in the second inning, taking advantage of two more Laker errors to take a 7-0 lead. Reicoff singled and scored when Lia reached on an error by the shortstop and Smarra earned a bases-loaded walk. The Vulcans tallied another run in the third inning when Wideman doubled and scored on a Reicoff single to push the lead to 8-0 after three innings. Mercyhurst, who was held without a hit in the first three innings, broke through in the fourth inning for a run on three hits, but left runners at second and third to end the frame trailing 8-1.

After Mercyhurst was unable to pull any closer in the fifth inning, freshman center fielder Kaity Finley (Latrobe, Pa./Greater Latrobe) led the bottom half of the inning with a double and advanced to third on a fly-out. Reicoff sealed the win with a walk-off double to give the Vulcans a 9-1 victory.

Sophomore pitcher Alex Sagl (Oakville, Ontario/Oakville Trafalgar) earned the win for the Vulcans. Sagl (13-2) allowed one run (earned) on three hits and struck out nine to earn the complete-game victory. Truelove (5-11) took the loss for the Lakers after she allowed seven runs (none earned) on three hits in 2.0 innings pitched.

Reicoff led Cal U at the plate with three hits, including the walk off double, two RBI and two runs scored, while Heyd finished with three RBI on her bases-clearing double.

In Game 2, the Vulcans held off a late-inning threat by Mercyhurst to earn a 5-3 win and the team's 17th-consecutive victory.

The Lakers took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but the Vulcans rallied for four runs in the bottom half of the frame to take the lead. Lia drove in the team's opening run with a RBI single and senior designated player Stephani Ellis (Vancouver, British Columbia/Prince of Wales Secondary) connected for a three-run home run to give Cal U a 4-2 lead after the first inning.

Mercyhurst pulled within one run at 4-3 in the fifth inning when it scored a run thanks to a throwing error. The Lakers had the go-ahead run on second base and no outs when sophomore pitcher Haley Bashada (Belle Vernon, Pa./Belle Vernon) entered the game in relief. She struck out the next batter and forced a double play to end the inning and preserve the lead.

The Vulcans added an insurance run in the sixth to take a 5-3 lead. Ellis led off the inning with a single and was pinch-run for by sophomore Erica Vallecorsa (Latham, N.Y./Shaker), who advanced to second on a sacrifice and scored when Heyd reached on an error. Bashada retired Mercyhurst in order in the seventh inning.

Freshman starter Kaity Davis (Massillon, Ohio/Jackson) earned the victory for the Vulcans. Davis (8-2) allowed three runs (none earned) on seven hits and struck out three in 4.0 innings pitched. Bashada earned her first save of the season after tossing 3.0 scoreless innings with two strikeouts.

Ellis led the Vulcans with a pair of hits, including the three-run home run, and junior shortstop Breanna Morris (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central) added a 2-for-3 effort with a run scored.

Cal U returns to the diamond on Friday, April 18, when it hosts Gannon for a PSAC West doubleheader at 2:30 p.m.