WASHINGTON, Pa. (April 23) – The California University of Pennsylvania baseball team dropped both games of a Senior Day doubleheader against division-leading Mercyhurst on Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play, losing 12-2 and 19-3.

With the sweep, the Vulcans fall to 22-18 this season behind a 15-9 mark in league action. Meanwhile, the Lakers improve to 32-10 overall and have won 21 of their last 23 games dating back to March 20. Mercyhurst also now holds a 19-5 divisional record with four games left in conference play.

In Game 1, Mercyhurst jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on back-to-back singles following a fielding error to open the game. The Lakers added a run in the second before the Vulcans answered with a two-out rally in the bottom of the third. Sophomore third baseman Levi Krause (East Berlin, Pa./Spring Grove) reached on a two-out double and advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring on an RBI single by senior center fielder Mick Fennell (Butler, Pa./Butler).

The Lakers countered by batting around in the fourth inning and scored four runs on six hits, including a two-run homer by first baseman Hank Morrison, to take an 8-1 lead. Mercyhurst nearly batted around again in the fifth and stretched the lead to 12-1 with four extra-base hits in the inning, including a two-run homer by catcher Sabatino DiNardo III. Cal U later added a solo homer by sophomore second baseman Garrett Brooks (Connellsville, Pa./Greensburg Central Catholic), his second of the year, in the bottom of the sixth.

Senior GJ Senchak (New Castle, Pa./New Castle) suffered the loss and dropped to 3-2 this season after allowing eight runs (seven earned) on 10 hits in 4.0 innings (61 pitches). Mercyhurst starter Joe Gnacinski (6-1) earned the complete-game victory and yielded two runs (both earned) on five hits and one walk over 7.0 innings (97 pitches).

In Game 2, Mercyhurst scored four runs in both the first and second innings behind a three-run homer by center fielder Chris Gonzalez and a two-run homer by Morrison. The Lakers stretched the lead to 10-0 by adding two runs in the third before exploding for eight runs in the top of the fourth after sending 14 batters to the plate. Mercyhurst started the scoring in the fourth with a three-run homer by second baseman Brendan Cox before later scoring on three-straight, bases-loaded walks after a two-out throwing error.

The Vulcans then scored one run in the bottom of the fourth after starting the inning with back-to-back doubles by sophomore first baseman Chris Wastchak (Peters Twp., Pa./Peters Township) and freshman designated hitter Kristian Webb (Whitby, Ontario/Sinclair), 10-1. Both teams scored one run in the fifth with Cal U scoring on an RBI single by sophomore shortstop Austin Logan (Beaver, Pa./Beaver). Cal U recorded the final run of the game in the bottom of the seventh when Fennell scored on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly.

Logan paced the offense by going 3-for-4 while hitting No. 2 in the lineup for the first time this season.

Cal U used seven different pitchers in the contest, as junior Joe Yourgal (Millersville, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) fell to 2-4 this season after being roughed up for six runs (all earned) on seven hits in 1.1 innings. Mercyhurst starter Matthew Minnick (5-0) earned the win after allowing two runs (all earned) on six hits and three walks in 5.0 innings (84 pitches).

The Vulcans return to action on Wednesday, April 27, when they host a non-conference doubleheader against West Liberty at CONSOL Energy Park starting at 12 p.m.