WASHINGTON, Pa. (March 14) – The California University of Pennsylvania baseball team earned a split with nationally-ranked Seton Hill, falling 8-2 in Game 1 before claiming a 5-4 comeback victory in Game 2 during Pennsylvania State Athletic State Conference (PSAC) West action on Saturday afternoon at CONSOL Energy Park.

With the split in the opening weekend of divisional play, the Vulcans improve to 3-6 this season with a 1-1 record in league play. Meanwhile, Seton Hill stands at 11-4 overall with a 1-1 mark in conference action.

In Game 2, starting pitcher Jack Dennis (Toronto, Ontario/Birchmount Park) scattered seven hits over 6.1 innings in his second start of the season. He struck out five batters while only walking one and surrendered four runs (all earned) in the no-decision (90 pitches). Junior Andre Jones (New Castle, Pa./Union) (1-1) relieved Dennis in the seventh and pitched 0.2 innings to earn the victory. Seton Hill starter Brett Sullivan tossed 6.0 innings (88 pitches) and allowed four runs (all earned) while issuing nine hits and striking out two. Reliever Austin Sleek (0-1) suffered the loss after giving up two hits, one walk and one run in only 0.1 innings.

Second baseman Patrick McCarthy started the game for Seton Hill with a double and advanced to third on a ground ball. Third baseman Nick Sell proceeded to hit a sacrifice fly to right field to give the Griffins an early 1-0 advantage after the top of the first. Seton Hill struck again to make the score 3-0 in the top of the third inning when Sell homered down the left-field line scoring shortstop Garret Vrbanic, who reached base on a single. The Vulcans were held scoreless until the bottom of the fourth when junior first baseman David Marcus (Whitby, Ontario/Father Leo J. Austin) and freshman right fielder Chris Wastchak (Peters Twp., Pa./Peters Township) hit back-to-back home runs cutting the deficit to 3-2.

Senior shortstop Matt Peters (Upper Darby, Pa./Upper Darby) led off the sixth inning with a double to left field before Wastchak tied the game at 3-3 with an RBI double to right-center that scored Peters. Wastchak advanced to third on a grounder before scoring on a single to right field by redshirt third baseman Levi Krause (East Berlin, Pa./Spring Grove) to give Cal U a 4-3 lead heading into the seventh. With one out in the seventh, left fielder Anthony Fanelli homered to right with one out to chase Dennis and tie the game at 4-4. Jones entered the game and a Seton Hill runner was caught stealing at second before the third out was made on a ground-out to third base. Sophomore Alex Ziegler (Butler, Pa./Butler) led off the bottom of the seventh with a double to right field before Peters produced a walk-off single to right-center.

Wastchak finished 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored, while Peters collected a pair of hits and an RBI in the win.

In Game 1, senior Justin Taylor (Julian, Pa./Bald Eagle) (0-1) allowed no walks and struck out nine batters but suffered the loss while allowing eight runs (seven earned) and nine hits over 6.1 innings (97 pitches). Seton Hill starter Mike Bittel (2-2) earned the complete-game victory, allowing only two runs (both earned) and five hits while collecting six strikeouts (96 pitches).

Seton Hill struck first in the third inning and scored three runs on four hits, including two triples. The Vulcans answered with their first run in the fourth when Peters singled to center field to score junior center fielder Mick Fennell (Butler, Pa./Butler), who led the inning off with a single to right. The Griffins added two more runs in the sixth when Sell doubled to left-center, scoring Vrbanic followed by a two RBI single from left fielder Adam Ferita. Marcus led off the bottom of the seventh with a double to left field before scoring on a pinch-hit double from senior Kris Fielding (Port Perry, Ontario/Port Perry).

The Vulcans were held to only five hits with one each from Fielding and Peters, who also finished with an RBI in the loss.

Cal U travels to Greensburg, Pennsylvania, tomorrow, Sunday, March 15, to complete the weekend series with Seton Hill, starting at 1 p.m.