CALIFORNIA (April 24) – The No. 9 California University of Pennsylvania softball team closed the regular season on Sunday afternoon with a doubleheader sweep against Seton Hill on Senior Day at Lilley Field in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play, claiming a 5-4 win in extra innings before posting a 12-1 run-rule victory.

With the sweep, the Vulcans improve to 32-2 overall and finish divisional action with a 19-1 record. Cal U will now open play in the PSAC Tournament on Wednesday, April 27, in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, Seton Hill misses the league tournament after finishing the year with a 16-26 record behind a 9-11 mark in league play,

In Game 1, Cal U trailed 4-2 in the bottom of the seventh before sophomore Courtney Sinclair (Oil City, Ontario/Lambton Central) reached on a two-out, pinch-hit double as the Seton Hill outfielder lost the ball in the sun. Sophomore shortstop Emily Price (Warren, Ohio/Howland) then tied the score at 4-4 with a two-run homer to left field. Senior third baseman Natalya Smarra (McKees Rocks, Pa./Sto-Rox) followed with a single and sophomore center fielder Jacquelyn Fowler (Grove City, Ohio/Central Crossing) reached on a walk after a pitching change. However, the Griffins forced extra innings as the inning ended with an unassisted ground-out to third base.

Seton Hill was retired in order in the top of the eighth before Cal U mounted a two-out rally in the bottom half of the inning. Senior second baseman Erica Vallecorsa (Latham, N.Y./Shaker) registered a ground-rule double over the left-center field wall before junior catcher Megan Jahoda (Buchanan, N.Y./Hendrick Hudson) delivered a walk-off RBI single to left field.

Freshman Taylor Robblee (Woodstock, Ontario/College Avenue) earned the victory in relief to improve to 5-0 this season. She yielded one run (earned) on two hits with four strikeouts in 4.1 innings of work. Seton Hill freshman Tiffany Edwards suffered the loss after allowing one run (earned) in 1.0-plus inning of relief.

The Griffins took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a solo homer by third baseman Ashley Perillo before scoring twice in the fourth. Cal U answered in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single by senior first baseman Lindsay Reicoff (Pittsburgh, Pa./Chartiers Valley) before Robblee was thrown out at the plate after attempting to score on a fly-out to center field. Seton Hill manufactured a run in the fifth to take a 4-1 lead before Fowler belted a solo homer in the sixth.

Four different players posted two hits in the victory and all nine batters in the Cal U lineup collected at least one hit. Price went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer, her second of the year, while Fowler finished 2-for-3 with a solo homer and two runs scored. Smarra and Jahoda both also posted two hits in Game 1.

In Game 2, Cal U claimed the run-rule victory by scoring at least one run in every inning. The Vulcans jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a three-run homer by Smarra before adding three more runs in the second. Jahoda reached on a hit by pitch and advanced to second on a ground-out before scoring on an RBI single to right-center field by Price. Smarra then delivered a two-run homer, her seventh of the year.

Seton Hill scored on a bases-loaded fielder's choice in the top of the third before Cal U answered with a run in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Vallecorsa. The Griffins stranded runners on the corners in the fourth before the Vulcans scored five runs in the inning. Smarra led off the inning with a single before Fowler followed with a two-run homer, her fifth of the year. Reicoff later reached on a two-out fielding error and advanced to second on a single by Vallecorsa. Jahoda then delivered a three-run homer, her first of the year, on the first pitch of the at-bat.

Smarra paced the offense by going 3-for-3 with two homers, five RBI and three runs scored. Jahoda went 2-for-2 with three RBI and two runs scored, while Price collected two hits and scored twice. Vallecorsa and freshman designated player Emilee Downing (Groveport, Ohio/Groveport Madison) both also tallied two hits in the win.

Senior Meghan Uher (Acme, Pa./Connellsville) improved to 11-0 this season after yielding one run (unearned) on three hits and two walks in 3.1 innings (50 pitches). Classmate Alex Sagl (Oakville, Ontario/Oakville Trafalgar) then tossed 1.2 innings of one-hit, scoreless relief. Edwards (2-6) was saddled with the loss after surrendering six runs (all earned) on six hits in 1.2 innings (45 pitches).

Cal U, the two-time, defending-league champion, opens play in the PSAC Tournament against IUP on Wednesday, April 27, at 12 p.m. The double-elimination tournament will once again be held in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, with the championship set for Saturday, April 30.