GREENSBURG, Pa. (April 9) – The Vulcans rallied to tie the score late in Game 1 on Sunday afternoon before dropping both games of a road doubleheader against Seton Hill in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play, losing 4-3 in Game 1 and 8-2 in Game 2.
With the losses, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team falls to 12-14 this season behind a 6-6 mark in league action. Meanwhile, the Griffins improve to 19-11 overall and also hold a 6-6 divisional record after winning three of four games this weekend.
In Game 1, the Vulcans tied the score at 3-3 in the top of the sixth, but were unable to prevent the Griffins from answering in the bottom of the inning. Cal U managed just three hits in the contest, while holding Seton Hill to just two hits. Freshman pitcher
Jason Downs (Albion, N.Y./Charles D'Amico) suffered the loss after allowing four runs (two earned) on just one hit with six strikeouts in 5.0-plus innings (83 pitches).
Seton Hill took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first on just one hit, as runs scored on a sacrifice bunt and a two-out fielding error. The Vulcans threatened in the top of the second after junior right fielder
Chris Wastchak (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) drew a walk and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Junior designated hitter
Andrew Grace (Moon Twp., Pa./Moon) followed with a single to give the Vulcans runners on the corners before a double play ended the inning. The Vulcans cut the deficit to 2-1 in the third on a two-out RBI single from
Levi Krause (East Berlin, Pa./Spring Grove) after senior center fielder
Taylor Zackman (Bordentown, N.J/Bordentown Regional) drew a leadoff walk and advanced to third on a pair of ground-outs.
Downs retired 11-straight Griffins before issuing back-to-back walks in the bottom of the fifth. After an error on a failed pickoff attempt allowed both runners to advance, Seton Hill scored on a sacrifice fly. Cal U tied the score in the top of the sixth with two runs on just one hit. Senior first baseman
David Marcus (Whitby, Ontario/Father Leo J. Austin) reached on an error and advanced to second on a wild pitch with one out. After a walk, sophomore catcher
Kristian Webb (Whitby, Ontario/Sinclair) drove in Marcus with an RBI single before the tying run scored on a fielder's choice.
The Griffins scored the game-winning run on an RBI double from designated hitter Adam Ferita after third baseman Tom McCarthy advanced to third on a wild pitch and stolen base. The Vulcans put the tying run in scoring position in the top of the seventh with one out, but were unable to tie the score.
In Game 2, the Griffins tallied a pair of three-run innings to complete the doubleheader sweep with an 8-1 win. Seton Hill pounded out nine hits and scored eight unanswered runs after the Vulcans took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a sacrifice fly from Marcus. The Griffins responded with three runs in the bottom half of the inning, two of which came off wild pitches. Seton Hill followed with one run in the bottom of the second with a two-out RBI single and three more runs in the bottom of the third to increase the lead to 7-1.
The Vulcans had at least one runner on base in each of the next three innings, but were unable to trim the deficit until an RBI double from sophomore left fielder
Thomas Chisam (Williamsburg, Va./ Walsingham Academy) with two outs in the top of the seventh.
Freshman
Nick Riggle (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) was saddled with the loss after allowing seven runs (all earned) on six hits and recorded five strikeouts in 2.2 innings (70 pitches). Classmate
Anthony Winkler (South Park, Pa./South Park) threw 3.1 innings of relief and yielded one run (earned) on three hits with four strikeouts. Seton Hill starter Tyler Morder earned the complete-game victory after allowing just two runs (one earned) on five hits in 7.0 innings (87 pitches).
Cal U returns to action on Tuesday, April 11, when it travels to play a non-conference doubleheader at West Liberty, starting at 1 p.m.
