WASHINGTON, Pa. (Feb. 18) – Playing in unseasonably warm weather, the Vulcans opened the season with a home doubleheader split against Malone on Saturday afternoon with a 7-2 loss in Game 1 before claiming an 8-6 win in Game 2.

With the split, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team opens the year with a 1-1 record. The Vulcans have now played 10 home games in February over the last five seasons. Meanwhile, the Pioneers, which are first-year members of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC), open the campaign with a 1-1 mark after playing last year in the Great Lakers Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC).

In Game 2, the Vulcans scored eight runs in the opening three innings before holding on for the 8-6 victory. The top three batters in the order – senior shortstop Danny McGrath (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional), junior second baseman Garrett Brooks (Connellsville, Pa./Greensburg Central Catholic) and redshirt senior first baseman David Marcus (Whitby, Ontario/Father Leo J. Austin) – combined for four hits, five RBI and three runs. McGrath and Brooks both reached base three times in the victory, while sophomore catcher Kristian Webb (Whitby, Ontario/Sinclair) collected a pair of hits in the nightcap.

The Vulcans took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when junior right fielder Chris Wastchak (Peters Twp., Pa./Peters Township) delivered a two-out RBI single following a two-out fielding error. In the second, Cal U collected back-to-back singles followed by a walk before Marcus delivered a three-run double to left field. In the third, the Vulcans loaded the bases with no outs before junior third baseman Levi Krause (East Berlin, Pa./Spring Grove) posted an RBI single before a sacrifice fly stretched the lead to 6-0. Following a lineout, Brooks delivered a two-run triple to right center.

Malone answered with four runs in the top of the fourth after the first five batters in the inning reached base safely, 8-4. The Pioneers loaded the bases with two outs in the fifth before a ground-out ended the inning without a run being scored. In the sixth, Malone opened the inning with consecutive extra-base hits before a single cut the deficit to 8-6. Krause then moved from third base to the mound and induced a foul-out before starting a double play to end the inning.

Freshman Corey Fogle (Connellsville, Pa./Connellsville) earned the win in his college debut after tossing 1.0 inning of scoreless relief, while Krause recorded his third career save with 2.0 scoreless innings of relief. Malone starter Clyde Yoder (0-1) suffered the loss after surrendering six runs (five earned) on five hits and three walks in 2.0-plus innings.

In the nine-inning Game 1, Brooks and Wastchak combined for five of the team's six hits. Senior catcher Joe Yourgal (Millersville, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) recorded a rare three caught stealing in the loss.

Cal U took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third with a two-out RBI single by Brooks before the Vulcans added a run in the fourth when Wastchak, who reached on a double, scored on a balk. Malone took a 3-2 lead in the seventh before adding a run in the eighth on a triple. The Pioneers then sealed the win in the top of the ninth by scoring three runs with two outs.

Neither starting pitcher in Game 1 went more than 3.2 innings due to injury, as the teams were forced to use a combined seven relief pitchers. Sophomore Tyler Eritz (Oakdale, Pa./West Allegheny) was saddled with the loss after allowing two runs in 0.1 inning of relief. Malone's Jordan Yoder earned the victory after tossing 2.2 innings of scoreless relief and Gunnar Smeyres registered the save with 1.1 scoreless innings of relief.

Cal U is idle for over a week before returning to action with a home doubleheader against Walsh on Feb. 26 in Washington, Pennsylvania, at 1 p.m.