CLERMONT, Fla. (March 12) – The Vulcans were involved in a pair of run-rule contests on Monday at the PFX Spring Games, suffering a 10-0 loss to Sioux Falls (S.D.) before cruising to a 17-6 victory over St. Thomas Aquinas (N.Y.) in six innings.

With the split, the California University of Pennsylvania softball team moves to 4-6 overall with a 3-3 mark during its Spring Break trip. The Vulcans have already faced opponents from five different conferences while playing in Florida.

Against St. Thomas Aquinas (1-7), the Vulcans erupted for 17 runs on 21 hits with six different players collecting multi-hit games. Junior right fielder Logan Blake (Jordan Station, Ontario/Bishop Ridley) went 3-for-3 with four RBI, while senior third baseman Carlee Wickstrom (Canonsburg, Pa./Peters Township) finished 4-for-5 with four RBI and four runs scored. Freshman catcher Brooke Wilson (Coraopolis, Pa./West Allegheny) tallied four hits, four runs scored and one RBI from the leadoff spot and senior shortstop Emily Price (Warren, Ohio/Howland) collected three hits, three RBI and three runs scored. Senior center fielder Jacquelyn Fowler (Grove City, Ohio/Central Crossing) posted three hits and two RBI and senior left fielder Courtney Sinclair (Oil City, Ontario/Lambton Central) finished with two hits and two runs scored.

Cal U took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first, as Wilson led off the game with a single and Price followed with a triple before later scoring on an error. The Vulcans batted around in the third inning and scored four runs on RBI singles by Wickstrom, Fowler and senior first baseman Hailey Wilson (Delaware, Ohio/Olentangy).

In the fourth, Blake lined a two-run triple with two outs to stretch the lead to 8-0. The Spartans answered with one run in the bottom of the inning before the Vulcans countered with three runs in the fifth behind a two-run triple by Wickstrom and an RBI single by junior Taylor Robblee (Woodstock, Ontario/College Avenue). St. Thomas Aquinas then scored four runs (three unearned) in the bottom of fifth to cut the deficit to 11-5.

The Vulcans batted around for the second time in the game during the top of the sixth, scoring six runs to eventually force the run-rule victory. The initial six batters of the inning each reached base safely with Brooke Wilson tallying an RBI single before Price belted a two-run double. Wickstrom followed with an RBI single and later scored on a two-run single by Blake.

Sophomore starter Cierra Funke (Hampshire County, W.Va./Hampshire) improved to 2-1 this season after yielding four runs (two earned) on seven hits in 4.1 innings.

Against Sioux Falls (4-8), Cal U was limited to just one hit in the run-rule loss. The Cougars benefited from an error early in the first inning, as they scored six unearned runs while facing three different pitchers. Sioux Falls added to the lead in the top of the third with a two-run homer before stretching the lead to 10-0 behind a two-run double in the fifth. Cal U avoided the no-hitter in the bottom of the fifth when Fowler collected a single with one out.

Junior Carly Konopka (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) was saddled with the loss after surrendering seven runs (two earned) on six hits while working a total of 3.0 innings, as she reentered the game in the third. Sioux Falls starter Kerrigan Hoshaw yielded just one hit and one walk over 5.0 scoreless innings to earn the win.

The Vulcans are idle tomorrow, Tuesday, March 13, before returning to action on Wednesday, March 14, when they face Post (Conn.) and No. 20 UIndy at the PFX Spring Games.