THOMASVILLE, N.C. (March 7) – The California University of Pennsylvania baseball team committed a fielding error in the seventh inning on Monday afternoon that led to eight unearned runs and an 18-9 loss to Brevard, a member of the South Atlantic Conference (SAC).
With the loss, the Vulcans fall to 4-8 overall with a 1-3 mark on their North Carolina road trip. Meanwhile, the Tornados improve to 7-14 this season and snap a six-game losing streak.
The teams each scored once in the second inning before Brevard scored a pair of unearned runs in the top of third. In the fourth, Cal U took a 5-3 lead behind a grand slam by sophomore shortstop
Brandon Warner (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove). The Tornados answered with three runs in the top of the fifth before the Vulcans tied the score at 6-6 in the bottom of the inning on a solo homer by junior designated hitter
Joe Yourgal (Millersville, Pa./Lancaster Catholic).
Brevard took a 7-6 lead in the sixth before scoring 10 runs in the seventh after sending 14 batters to the plate. The Tornados took advantage of a fielding error early in the inning that led to eight unearned runs. In the eighth, Brevard added another run to stretch its lead to 18-6 before Cal U scored three runs in the bottom of the ninth. Redshirt sophomore
Andrew Grace (Moon Twp., Pa./Moon) posted an RBI single before the Vulcans later scored on a sacrifice fly and a two-out, bases-loaded walk by junior
Danny McGrath (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional).
Grace went 3-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored after entering the game as a pinch-hitter in the fourth. Sophomore third baseman
Garrett Brooks (Connellsville, Pa./Greensburg Central Catholic) finished with a pair of hits and scored twice, while senior center fielder
Mick Fennell (Butler, Pa./Butler) collected two hits.
The Vulcans used eight different pitchers in the loss with seven relievers working no more 1.0 inning. Sophomore starter
Carter Krick (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) took a no-decision after allowing six runs (four earned) on seven hits and two walks in 4.1 innings (81 pitches). Brevard sophomore Drake Black earned the victory after tossing 3.1 innings of scoreless relief.
Cal U returns to action tomorrow, Tuesday, March 8, when it travels to Laurinburg, North Carolina, to face St. Andrews at 2 p.m.