ERIE, Pa. (April 17) – The California University of Pennsylvania baseball team rallied to claim a doubleheader split at Gannon on Monday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play, suffering a 15-6 loss in Game 1 before claiming a 7-5 win in Game 2.

With the split, the Vulcans move to 16-16 this season with a 9-7 mark in league action. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights also stand at 16-16 overall behind a 6-10 record in divisional play.

In Game 1, Cal U scored three runs in the top of the fifth to cut the deficit to 5-4 before Gannon countered with 10 runs in the bottom of the inning. Sophomore catcher Kristian Webb (Whitby, Ontario/Sinclair) went 3-for-4 with three doubles, two RBI and one run scored, while junior right fielder Chris Wastchak (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) and junior third baseman Austin Logan (Beaver, Pa./Beaver) both finished with two hits and two RBI.

The Vulcans took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-out RBI double by Wastchak before the Golden Knights responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Gannon added to its lead on a sacrifice fly in the third and a solo homer in the fourth. Cal U then mounted a three-run rally with two outs in the top of the fifth to work the deficit down to 5-4. Wastchak started the rally with an RBI single before Webb followed with a double to right-center field. After a walk, Logan delivered an RBI single through the middle before the Golden Knights made a pitching change.

In the bottom of the inning, Cal U used four different pitchers after Gannon scored 10 runs on eight hits and two walks. The scoring was capped by a grand slam from catcher Nate Cardy before freshman John Bowser (Pittsburgh, Pa./Kiski) retired the first two batters he faced to end the inning. The Vulcans later added an RBI double by Webb and an RBI single by Logan in the top of the seventh.

Freshman starter Jason Downs (Albion, N.Y./Charles D'Amico) suffered the loss after allowing seven runs (six earned) on eight hits in 4.0-plus innings (71 pitches). Bowser closed the game with 1.2 innings of shutout relief. Gannon starter David Cricks (5-2) earned the victory after yielding four runs (all earned) on seven hits and four walks in 4.2 innings.

In Game 2, five different players registered a multi-hit game and the Vulcans scored at least one run in the final four innings. Redshirt senior first baseman David Marcus (Whitby, Ontario/Father Leo J. Austin) finished 2-for-3 with two doubles, two RBI, two runs scored and one walk, while junior shortstop Levi Krause (East Berlin, Pa./Spring Grove) went 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Logan, Webb and junior second baseman Garrett Brooks (Connellsville, Pa./Greensburg Central Catholic) each added two hits in the victory.

Cal U took a 1-0 lead on a two-out RBI single by Webb in the top of the first before Gannon scored three runs in the third. The Vulcans cut the deficit to 3-2 in the fourth on a sacrifice fly before reclaiming the lead by scoring two runs in the fifth. Krause and Marcus opened the inning with back-to-back doubles before Marcus later scored on a two-out RBI single by Logan.

The Vulcans benefited from a pair of errors in the top of the sixth to stretch the lead to 6-3 before the Golden Knights responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Cal U added an insurance run in the top of the seventh when senior Joe Yourgal (Millersville, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) belted a solo homer, his first of the year.

Freshman starter Nick Riggle (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) improved to 2-1 this season after allowing five runs (all earned) on five hits and four walks in 5.0 innings (90 pitches). Yourgal recorded the save with 2.0 scoreless innings of relief. Gannon reliever Joey Colosi (2-5) was saddled with the loss after yielding two runs (both earned) in 0.2 inning.

Cal U returns to action tomorrow, Tuesday, April 18, when it hosts a non-conference doubleheader against Notre Dame (Ohio) in Washington, Pennsylvania, at 1 p.m.