WILSON, N.C. (March 14) – The California University of Pennsylvania baseball team scored a combined 13 runs in the third and fourth innings and held a 14-6 lead on Tuesday afternoon before suffering a 15-14 loss to Fairmont State.

With the loss, the Vulcans fall to 4-8 this season with a 1-3 mark while in North Carolina. Meanwhile, the Fighting Falcons improve to 7- overall.

Sophomore left fielder Eric Fairman (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) and junior right fielder Chris Wastchak (Peters Twp., Pa./Peters Township) each registered four RBI in the contest. Fairman collected a pair of hits, including a three-run homer, and Wastchak added three hits and three runs scored. Sophomore Kristian Webb (Whitby, Ontario/Sinclair) posted two hits, two RBI and two runs scored, while junior shortstop Austin Logan (Beaver, Pa./Beaver) and senior center fielder Taylor Zackman (Bordentown, N.J./Bordentown Regional) both tallied two hits and scored one run.

The Fighting Falcons scored one run in the first before the Vulcans tied the score in the top of the second on a solo homer by Wastchak, his first of the year. Fairmont State answered with one run in the bottom of the inning before Cal U responded with five runs – all with two outs – in the third. Junior second baseman Garrett Brooks (Connellsville, Pa./Greensburg Central Catholic) started the rally with a single before the Vulcans tied the score at 2-2 when Brooks scored on a wild pitch. Wastchak followed with a two-run double before Webb and Fairman collected back-to-back RBI singles.

Fairmont State then tied the score at 6-6 in the bottom of the third by scoring four run on five hits. The Vulcans batted around in the top of the fourth and scored eight runs on six hits and two walks. Zackman led off the inning with a single before junior third baseman Levi Krause (East Berlin, Pa./Spring Grove) drew a bases-loaded walk. Redshirt senior David Marcus (Whitby, Ontario/Father Leo J. Austin) then delivered a two-run double before Wastchak and Webb tallied back-to-back RBI singles. Fairman followed with a three-run homer to give Cal U a 14-6 lead.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Fighting Falcons countered with three runs before added one run on a sacrifice fly in the fifth to cut the deficit to 14-10. Fairmont State then collected a two-run single with two outs in the bottom of the sixth before taking the lead by scoring three runs in the seventh. The Vulcans retired the first two batters in the seventh before the Fighting Falcons eventually scored on a bases-loaded walk and second baseman Ted Sova collected the go-ahead, two-run single.

Freshman Jason Downs (Albion, N.Y./Charles D'Amico) suffered the loss after allowing three runs (all earned) on two hits and two walks in 0.2 inning of relief.

Cal U closes its spring trip to North Carolina tomorrow, Wednesday, March 15, with a doubleheader against Lock Haven at 11 a.m.