WASHINGTON, Pa. (Feb. 26) – Sophomore pitchers
Anthony Winkler (South Park, Pa./South Park) and
Bradyn Kail (Baltimore, Md./Loyola Blakefield) combined for a complete-game shutout on Monday afternoon, as the Vulcans finished a three-game sweep over Walsh with a 4-0 victory at Wild Things Park.
With the win, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team improves to 3-2 overall after playing a pair of opponents from the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC). Meanwhile, the Cavaliers drop to 0-3 on the year after their season-opening series.
Winkler earned the win after scattering two hits in 5.0 scoreless innings (77 pitches) with a career-high six strikeouts against Walsh. The South Park product stranded five runners on base, including two in scoring position. Kail entered the game in the sixth inning and tossed 4.0 scoreless innings (51 pitches) of relief with four strikeouts while scattering two hits. The Maryland native faced 15 batters, forcing six fly outs and two groundouts to earn his first collegiate save on Monday. Neither pitcher allowed a runner to advance past second base in the win.
The Vulcans escaped trouble in the opening frame with an inning-ending double-play before scoring the initial run of the game in the bottom half of the inning. In the bottom of the first, junior center fielder
Nico Marchetti (Laurel, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) reached base on an error before advancing to third on back-to-back singles. Senior designated hitter
Chris Wastchak (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) drove in the run from third base on a fielder's choice to put the Cal U up 1-0. Winkler recorded two strikeouts in the second inning and left one runner in scoring position before the Vulcans left a base runner on third in the bottom frame. After another two strikeouts from Winkler in the top of the third, Cal U extended its lead to 4-0 with three runs in the third. Wastchak led off the inning with a solo homer to straight-away center field and redshirt freshman right fielder
Bill Hitman (Norristown, Pa./Pope John Paul II) belted a two-run homer to left field to extend the lead. Winkler went three-up, three-down in the fourth before stranding a runner on second in his final inning of work.
Cal U went to the bullpen in the sixth, bringing in Kail, who retired the opening two batters of the inning before leaving two runners on base. Both teams only sent three batters to the plate in the seventh inning before the Vulcans retired three straight in the eighth after an inning-opening single. Cal U went three-up, three-down in the bottom of the eighth before Kail secured the save with two-straight strikeouts in the top of the ninth.
Wastchak and Hitman both recorded homers, while tallying two RBI and one run scored in the contest.
The Vulcans return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 28, when they host a non-conference doubleheader versus Davis & Elkins in Washington, Pa., at Wild Things Park at 1 p.m.
