PAINESVILLE, Ohio (April 26) – The California University of Pennsylvania baseball team rallied from a five-run deficit in Game 2 to salvage a split of a non-conference doubleheader at Lake Erie on Wednesday afternoon, posting a 9-6 win in Game 2 after suffering a 17-11 loss in Game 1.

With the split, the Vulcans move their record to 19-21 overall after playing their final non-conference games of the season. Meanwhile, the Storm, which is a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Conference (GLIAC), drops to 10-30 this season.

In Game 1, Cal U matched its season high of four homers, but allowed seven runs in the fifth after tying the score at 10-10 in the previous half inning. Junior third baseman Levi Krause (East Berlin, Pa./Spring Grove) went 5-for-5 with two doubles, a solo homer, two RBI and three runs scored. Junior Andrew Grace (Moon Twp.,Pa./Moon) finished 2-for-3 with a two-run homer and four RBI, while sophomore designated hitter Kristian Webb (Sinclair, Ontario/Whitby) went 3-of-4 with one run scored. Sophomore left fielder Eric Fairman (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) posted two hits, including a solo homer, and three runs scored from the leadoff spot.

Cal U jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on an RBI ground-out by redshirt senior first baseman Davis Marcus (Whitby, Ontario/Father Leo J. Austin) before junior right fielder Chris Wastchak (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) followed with a solo homer, his sixth of the season. The Storm responded with five runs in the bottom of the first after six of the initial seven batters reached base. The Vulcans countered with four runs in the top of the second to take a 6-5 lead. With runners at second and third with one out, Marcus tallied another RBI ground-out before Cal U scored on a passed ball. Grace then later delivered a two-run single with two outs.

The Storm again reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the second with three runs after the first four batters reached base, 8-6. Each team scored one run in the third inning before Grace tied the score at 9-9 in the top of the fourth with a two-run homer. Lake Erie plated one run in the bottom of the fourth on a bases-loaded walk before Krause tied the game at 10-10 in the top of the fifth on a solo home run, his team-leading eighth of the year. The Storm broke the tie in the bottom of the fifth with seven runs, including four with two outs. Fairman tallied the last run for Cal U in the top of the seventh on a solo homer.

Freshman Corey Fogle (Connellsville,Pa./Conellsville) was saddled with the loss after giving up five runs (all earned) on two hits in just 0.2 of an inning. Junior starter Neil Dudley (Odenton, Md./Chesapeake) was roughed up for nine runs (seven earned) on 10 hits in 2.0 innings.

In Game 2, the Vulcans tied the game at 5-5 in the top of the third and would take the final lead change of the game in the fourth to salvage the doubleheader spilt. The Storm raced out to a 5-0 lead with one run in the first inning and four runs in the second before the five-run third inning by the Vulcans. Cal U scored its first run on a passed ball after it had runners at second and third with one out and scored the second run on a wild pitch in the same at-bat. After back-to-back walks, Webb lined an RBI single to cut the lead to 5-3 before senior Joe Yourgal (Millersville, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) hit a two-out, two-run single to tie the game.

Sophomore Thomas Chisam (Williamsburg, Va./Walsingham Academy) led off the top of the fourth with his first career homer, 6-5. Marcus added to the lead with an RBI single and would follow with a two-run homer in the top of the sixth.

Marcus totaled four RBI on Wednesday to move past Sam DiMatteo for second place in school history history with 164 career RBI. With eight games left in the regular season, he is just five RBI shy of breaking the all-time school record held by Bryan Hartung.

In Game 2, Marcus went 3-for-3 with two RBI, while Fairman went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Krause also scored twice in the victory.

Freshman Anthony Winkler (South Park, Pa./South Park) improved to 3-1 this season after throwing 2.1 innings of relief, while allowing just one run (earned) on three hits. Yourgal registered his second save of the season after moving to the mound from catcher and tossed 3.0 scoreless innings.

Cal U returns to action on Friday, April 28, when it opens a divisional series against IUP with a road doubleheader at 1 p.m.