WASHINGTON, Pa. (Feb. 24) – The California University of Pennsylvania baseball team dropped both games of a home doubleheader against Walsh on Friday afternoon, losing 2-0 in Game 1 before suffering a 5-2 loss in Game 2.

With the sweep, the Vulcans fall to 1-3 this season with all four games at home. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers open the year with a 2-0 mark after playing in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) Championship Game last season.

In Game 1, junior transfer Neil Dudley (Odenton, Md./Chesapeake) suffered the loss after allowing two runs (both earned) on five hits over 5.0 innings (73 pitches). Fellow junior Matt Carter (Glenshaw, Pa./Shaler) scattered two hits over 2.0 scoreless innings of relief. Walsh starter Matt Iosue earned the win after yielding four hits over 5.0 shutout innings (79 pitches) and senior Ryan McSweeney worked a scoreless seventh inning to record the save.

The Cavaliers opened the top of the second with back-to-back hits before third baseman Tyson Lautanen followed with a two-run double down the left-field line. Dudley then retired the next three hitters to force Walsh to leave Lautanen at second. In the third, Cal U threatened with runners on first and second with two outs before a fielder's choice ended the inning. Walsh looked to add to its lead in the sixth with runners on first and second with one out before a fielder's choice and strikeout ended the threat.

In Game 2, the Vulcans took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first after benefiting from a pair of throwing errors. Senior shortstop Danny McGrath (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) reached on a two-base error to start the inning before junior second baseman Garrett Brooks (Connellsville, Pa./Greensburg Central Catholic) followed with an infield single deep in the hole to shortstop, who threw the ball out of play when attempting to get McGrath out at third. Walsh tied the score in the second on a fielder's choice with the bases loaded before a called third strike ended the inning.

The Cavaliers broke the tie by scoring four runs in the third on a RBI double by first baseman Andrew Stalnaker and a three-run homer by catcher Austin Szink. Cal U mounted a two-out rally with a single and a walk in the bottom of the fourth before a fly-out ended the inning. In the fifth, Walsh looked to add to its lead with a two-out single before sophomore center fielder Nico Marchetti (Laurel, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) threw out a base runner at the plate that was attempting to score from first.

In the bottom of the sixth, Brooks led off the inning with a solo homer to right field.

Brooks tallied three of the team's five hits in Game 2, finishing 3-for-5 with his third career homer. He has gone a combined 7-for-12 with a .643 on-base percentage through the opening two doubleheaders of the year.

Freshman Anthony Winkler (South Park, Pa./South Park) was saddled with the loss in his first career starter after surrendering five runs (all earned) on five hits in 2.1 innings. Senior Caleb Catherine (South Williamsport, Pa./South Williamsport) and freshman Richie Serignese (New Castle, Pa./Neshannock) combined to work 4.2 innings of scoreless relief in Game 2. Walsh starter MJ Nara earned the win by yielding one run (unearned) on three hits in 5.0 innings (71 pitches), while McSweeney registered his second save of the afternoon.

Cal U returns to action next weekend with a four-game series against Davis & Elkins, beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday, March 4, in Elkins, West Virginia, at 1 p.m.