JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (April 17) – Behind a two-hit, complete-game shutout by junior Meghan Uher (Acme, Pa./Connellsville), the No. 18 California University of Pennsylvania softball team claimed a doubleheader split at Pitt-Johnstown on Friday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play, falling 3-2 in Game 1 before posting a 3-0 victory in the nightcap.

With the split, the Vulcans move to 18-9 overall with a 12-5 mark in league action. Cal U ranks third in the PSAC West standings with a .706 winning percentage with seven divisional doubleheaders left in the regular season. Meanwhile, the Mountain Cats stand at 5-21 this season behind a 5-13 record in league play.

In Game 2, Uher improved to 7-1 after tossing her second complete-game shutout of the season. She scattered two hits and issued two walks over 7.0 scoreless innings (96 pitches), while establishing a season high with 10 strikeouts. Uher allowed just one extra-base hit and forced the Mountain Cats to strand three runners in scoring position.

The Vulcans jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first following a sacrifice fly and a two-out RBI single by junior third baseman Natalya Smarra (McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox). In the fourth, UPJ opened the inning with a single before the runner moved to third on a wild pitch and ground-out. Uher then induced a line-out to end the threat and preserve the 2-0 lead. Cal U added an insurance run in the top of the seventh on just one hit, 3-0. Freshman Courtney Sinclair (Oil City, Ontario/Lambton Central) opened the inning with a pinch-hit single before moving to second on a sacrifice bunt by sophomore right fielder Kaity Finley (Latrobe, Pa./Greater Latrobe), who reached on a fielding error. Both runners then advanced on another sacrifice bunt before Sinclair scored on a sacrifice fly.

Freshman shortstop Emily Price (Warren, Ohio/Howland) finished 2-for-3 with one double and one run scored. The Vulcans left seven runners on base in the victory, including four in scoring position.

UPJ freshman Rachel Hoffman (3-10) suffered the loss after allowing three runs (two earned) on eight hits in 7.0 innings (83 pitches).

In Game 1, the Mountain Cats took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the third with all three runs (unearned) scoring on a bases-loaded double. Cal U answered in the fourth with a solo homer by junior first baseman Lindsay Reicoff (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley), her 11th of the year. The Vulcans threatened to cut the deficit in the fifth with back-to-back, two-out singles by Finley and Price before the inning with a ground-out. In the seventh, Sinclair drew a pinch-hit walk with one out and advanced to second on a ground-out before scoring on an RBI double by Price.

Price again posted a multi-hit game, going 2-for-4 with an RBI double, while senior center fielder Shelby Heyd (Innisfil, Ontario/Nantyr Shores Secondary) collected two hits.

Junior Alex Sagl (Oakville, Ontario/Oakville Trafalgar) fell to 9-4 this year after being saddled with the loss. She yielded three runs (none earned) on five hits in 6.0 innings (86 pitches) and matched her season high with 12 strikeouts, as nearly 75 percent of her pitches were for strikes. UPJ freshman Melissa Wagner (2-11) earned the win after allowing two runs (both earned) on seven hits and two walks in 7.0 innings (110 pitches).

Cal U returns to action tomorrow, Saturday, April 18, when it travels to play IUP in a doubleheader at 1 p.m.