WASHINGTON, Pa. (March 25) – The California University of Pennsylvania baseball team completed a series sweep of Pitt-Johnstown on Saturday afternoon, winning in contrasting styles with an 18-13 victory in Game 1 before scoring twice in the sixth inning of Game 2 to claim a 3-2 win.

With the sweep, the Vulcans improve to 8-8 this season and are one of three PSAC West teams to open the year with a 4-0 mark in divisional play. Meanwhile, the Mountain Cats fall to 10-14 overall with a 0-4 record in league action.

In Game 1, the Nos. 1-5 hitters for Cal U combined for 15 hits, 15 RBI and 11 runs scored. Junior shortstop Garrett Brooks (Connellsville, Pa./Greensburg Central Catholic) went 4-for-4 with two RBI, four runs scored and one walk from the leadoff spot. Junior right fielder Chris Wastchak (Peters Twp., Pa./Peters Township) finished 3-for-5 with a two-run homer, five RBI and two runs scored, while redshirt senior first baseman David Marcus (Whitby, Ontario/Father Leo J. Austin) went 3-for-4 with four RBI and one run scored. Sophomore designated hitter Kristian Webb (Whitby, Ontario/Sinclair) collected three hits and two runs scored and junior third baseman Levi Krause (East Berlin, Pa./Spring Grove) tallied two hits, three RBI and two runs scored. Junior catcher Andrew Grace (Moon Twp., Pa./Moon) and senior center fielder Taylor Zackman (Bordentown, N.J./Bordentown Regional) combined for five runs scored at the bottom of the order.

Brooks led off the bottom of the first with a triple before Marcus later collected an RBI single. UPJ countered with five runs in the second before Cal U tied the score at 5-5 in the third after scoring four runs with two outs. Grace opened the inning with a double before scoring on an RBI single by Krause. Wastchak later added a two-run triple and Webb followed with an RBI double.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Vulcans seized control of the game by scoring 11 runs on six hits, four walks and three hit by pitch off four different pitches. Krause delivered a two-run double with the bases loaded before Brooks scored on a sacrifice fly. Wastchak then belted a two-run, opposite-field homer before UPJ made a pitching change. Webb then reached on a triple and later scored on a wild pitch. Zackman eventually reached on a hit by pitch with the bases loaded before Brooks collected a two-run single. Marcus later stretched the lead to 16-5 with a two-run double to left center.

Cal U added one run in both the fifth and sixth innings before UPJ scored eight runs off four pitchers in the top of the seventh.

Junior Neil Dudley (Odenton, Md./Chesapeake) earned the win despite allowing nine runs (all earned) – all in two innings – on 15 hits in 6.0-plus innings. UPJ starter Nathan Bearer (1-2) was saddled with the loss after surrendering 10 runs (all earned) in just 3.2 innings.

In Game 2, the Vulcans held a 1-0 lead until the top of the sixth when the Mountain Cats scored two runs after four-straight batters reached with two outs. Cal U answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning despite not collecting a hit, as it benefited from two errors.

Marcus drew a two-out walk in the first inning and scored on a double by Wastchak. UPJ stranded runners in scoring position in three-straight innings before scoring twice in the top of the sixth. Senior designated hitter Joe Yourgal (Millersville, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) drew a walk to start the bottom of the inning before sophomore Ben Maudie (Jackson, Mo./Jackson) entered as a pinch-runner. Sophomore center fielder Nico Marchetti (Laurel, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) then reached on a hit by pitch. Following a foul-out on a bunt attempt, both runners advanced into scoring position on a wild pitch. Maudie then tied the scored on a shallow sacrifice fly to right field to tie the score at 2-2. Marchetti advanced to third on the sacrifice fly and scored the eventual game-winning run when Marcus reached on a two-out throwing error.

Freshman Bradyn Kail (Baltimore, Md./Loyola Blakefield) earned the win after working 1.1 innings of scoreless relief. Classmate Nick Riggle (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) took a no-decision after allowing two runs (both earned) on six hits and three walks in 5.2 innings (81 pitches). UPJ reliever Dan Clark suffered the loss despite facing only two batters.

The Vulcans were limited to just three hits in the victory, but drew eight walks. Cal U and UPJ combined to leave 23 runners on base.

Cal U returns to action on Wednesday, March 29, when it travels to play a doubleheader against Lake Erie in Painesville, Ohio, at 2 p.m.