CARY, N.C. (March 11) – The California University of Pennsylvania baseball team registered its first victories of the season on Wednesday afternoon by posting a doubleheader sweep over Bloomsburg, winning 10-3 and 3-1 at the USA Baseball Complex.
With the victories, the Vulcans improve to 2-5 overall after playing all seven games over the last five days in North Carolina. Meanwhile, the Huskies fall to 1-3 this season.
In Game 1, the Nos. 3-5 hitters for Cal U went a combined 7-for-9 with seven RBI and seven runs scored. Senior shortstop
Matt Peters (Upper Darby, Pa./Upper Darby) finished 3-for-4 with one RBI and three runs scored, while junior first baseman and clean-up hitter
David Marcus (Whitby, Ontario/Father Leo J. Austin) went 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Freshman right fielder
Chris Wastchak (Peters Twp., Pa./Peters Township) collected a pair of hits, including a three-run homer, and scored two runs.
Cal U and Bloomsburg each scored one run in the first inning before the Vulcans batted around in the top of the third. Junior center fielder
Mick Fennell (Butler, Pa./Butler) led off the inning with a double and scored on an RBI double by Peters. After a walk by Marcus, Wastchak followed with an RBI single before senior catcher
Will Kaufman (Roanoke, Va./Patrick Henry) later delivered a two-run single with two outs.
In the fourth, Cal U added a pair of runs on just one hit to stretch the lead to 7-1. Sophomore second baseman
Danny McGrath (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) and Peters drew back-to-back walks before Marcus posted an RBI single. Junior
Jared Grove (Greencastle, Pa./Greencastle-Antrim) later posted a sacrifice fly with the bases loaded to score Peters. The Vulcans added insurance runs in the sixth when Wastchak belted a three-run homer after Peters and Marcus opened the inning with back-to-back singles.
The Huskies cut the deficit to 10-3 after scoring two runs in the bottom of the seventh, including a solo homer by pinch-hitter Damin Muth.
Junior starter
Cory Craig (Youngsville, Pa./Youngsville) earned the win after allowing one run (earned) while scattering six hits and four walks over 6.0 innings. Bloomsburg starter Mike Warren (0-1) suffered the loss after surrendering five runs (all earned) on six hits and two walks in 3.0 innings.
In Game 2, senior
Luke Burton (Ambridge, Pa./Ambridge) and sophomore
Alex Ziegler (Butler, Pa./Butler) combined to allow only one unearned run. Burton earned the win after yielding one run on three hits, while establishing a career high with 10 strikeouts in 5.0 innings Ziegler registered the save after allowing just one base runner in 2.0 innings of scoreless relief. Huskies reliever Zach Newmyer (0-1) was saddled with the loss after allowing two runs (both unearned) on one hit and one walk in 1.1 innings of work.
The Vulcans took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second on a double-steal attempt with the runner being thrown out at second. Bloomsburg then tied the score in the bottom of the inning despite not collecting a base hit. In the fourth, Marcus and Wastchak opened the inning with a single and walk before both runners advanced into scoring position on a sacrifice bunt. Following a pitching change and strikeout, Marcus and Wastchak both scored when sophomore designated hitter
Joe Yourgal (Millersville, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) reached on an error. Cal U looked to add to the lead in the fifth after loading the bases with three-straight, two-out singles before a flyout ended the inning.
The trio of Marcus, Wastchak and Grove combined for five of the team's seven hits and each scored one run. Marcus and Grove both tallied a pair of hits in the win.
The Vulcans return to action this weekend when they begin Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play against 12th-ranked Seton Hill. The series opens with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 14, at CONSOL Energy Park in Washington, Pennsylvania, at 1 p.m.
