GREENSBURG, Pa. (April 14) – The No. 19 California University of Pennsylvania softball team lost both games of a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon for the first time since 2008, falling 2-0 in Game 1 before suffering a 4-3 loss at Seton Hill.

With the losses, the Vulcans fall to 16-7 overall with a 10-3 mark in divisional play. Cal U last was swept in a league doubleheader in 2008 when it lost all four games of the season series with then-divisional-member Lock Haven. Meanwhile, the Griffins improve to 21-8-1 this season behind a 13-6-1 record in conference action.

In Game 1, Seton Hill scored the only runs of the game on a two-run homer by first baseman Kaitlyn Kutchman in the bottom of the fourth. Cal U was limited to just four hits and stranded four runners on base in the loss, including three in scoring position.

Junior Alex Sagl (Oakville, Ontario/Oakville Trafalgar) suffered her first loss in over a month to fall to 9-3 this season. She allowed two runs (both earned) on five hits and two walks in 6.0 innings (92 pitches), while also posting seven strikeouts. Senior Christine Henderson earned the victory after tossing a four-hit, complete-game shutout and matched her season high with 10 strikeouts.

The Vulcans threatened to score in the third when junior third baseman Natalya Smarra (McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox) reached on a two-out single before advancing to third after a pair of stolen bases. However, Henderson posted a strikeout to end the inning. Following the homer in the fourth, Seton Hill looked to add to its lead in the bottom of the fifth after loading the bases before Sagl struck out Henderson to end the threat. The Vulcans attempted to avoid the shutout in the seventh after junior first baseman Lindsay Reicoff (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) led off the inning with a double before Henderson retired the next three batters in order to preserve the shutout.

In Game 2, the Griffins scored the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth on a fielding error. Reicoff, Smarra and freshman shortstop Emily Price (Warren, Ohio/Howland) each posted a pair of hits and one RBI in the loss, as Price extended her hitting streak to eight games.

Cal U took a 1-0 lead in the second on a two-out RBI single from Smarra before Seton Hill answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning following three-straight, two-out hits. The Vulcans tied the score at 2-2 in the top of the third with an RBI single by Reicoff that allowed freshman left fielder Courtney Sinclair (Oil City, Ontario/Lambton Central) to score from second.

In the fifth, Price posted a solo homer to give the Vulcans a 3-2 lead before senior center fielder Shelby Heyd (Innisfil, Ontario/Nantyr Shores Secondary) was thrown out at home attempting to score from second. Seton Hill countered in the bottom of the inning with a two-out RBI single before leaving runners on the corners.

The Griffins opened the sixth with a single by right fielder Delaney Cortzzo. She was then thrown out at home attempting to score from first on a double by left fielder Paige Hertzog, who advanced to third on the play at the plate. The winning run then scored on a one-out fielding error by the third baseman before the next two batters were retired in order.

Sophomore Kaity Davis (Massillon, Ohio/Jackson) dropped to 0-3 this year after yielding two runs (one earned) on five hits in 3.2 innings of relief. Henderson (8-2) also earned the victory in Game 2 after surrendering one run (earned) on four hits in 3.0 innings.

Cal U returns to action tomorrow, Wednesday, April 15, when it travels to Erie, Pennsylvania, for a doubleheader against PSAC West-leading Gannon at 2:30 p.m.