WILSON, N.C. (March 14) – The Vulcans closed their spring trip to North Carolina on Wednesday afternoon by suffering a pair of losses in high-scoring games at Fleming Stadium, dropping a 20-14 contest to Lock Haven before falling 15-9 to Bloomsburg.

With the losses, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team falls to 9-6 overall after posting a 2-4 mark during its time in North Carolina. The Vulcans scored a combined 51 runs at Fleming Stadium, tallying at least seven runs in five of six games.

Against Lock Haven (8-3), the teams combined for 34 runs on 37 hits, 14 walks and 10 errors. Each starter in the bottom half of the Cal U lineup recorded a multi-hit game. Junior center fielder Nico Marchetti (Laurel, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) went 2-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored, while junior left fielder Ben Maudie (Jackson, Mo./Jackson) and second baseman Louden Conte (California, Pa./California) both finished with a pair of hits and scored twice. Junior first baseman Eric Fairman (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson), senior right fielder Chris Wastchak (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) and sophomore third baseman Corey Fogle (Connellsville, Pa./Connellsville) also each collected two hits in the contest.

The Vulcans took a 3-0 lead in the third before the inning ended on a double play with the bases loaded. Lock Haven responded in the top of the fifth by scoring six runs behind a three-run homer by center fielder Liam McArthur. The Bald Eagles stretched the lead to 14-3 after sending 14 batters to the plate in the sixth inning. The Vulcans managed to score twice in the bottom of the inning and added another run in the seventh, 14-6.

In the eighth, Lock Haven tallied five unearned runs with a three-run homer by third baseman Keyshawn D'Orso after the inning started with an error. The Vulcans responded in the bottom of the inning by scoring six runs on seven hits and two errors. Lock Haven added a solo homer in the top the ninth before Cal U managed to score twice in the bottom of the inning.

The Vulcans used six different pitchers in the contest, including a pair of position players. Senior starter Neil Dudley (Odenton, Md./Chesapeake) was saddled with the loss after allowing five runs (all earned) on seven hits in 4.1 innings of work. Classmate Austin Logan (Beaver, Pa./Beaver), who started the game at shortstop, tossed 3.0 innings of relief and yielded one earned run (six total).

Against Bloomsburg (8-4), Maudie paced the offense by going 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored after entering the game in the third inning as a pinch-runner.

The Huskies took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second before the Vulcans countered with four runs in the third. Cal U loaded the bases with two outs before Conte delivered a three-run triple and then scored on a single by Fairman. The Huskies answered by scoring five runs in the fifth after opening the inning with a solo homer by center fielder Cole Swiger.

In the top of the sixth, Cal U managed to trim the deficit to 6-5 before Bloomsburg responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning. The teams both scored one run in the seventh before the Huskies took a 15-6 lead in the eighth after tallying four runs with two outs. In the ninth, Maudie lined a two-run double and later scored on a fielder's choice to cut the deficit to 15-9.

The teams combined to use 10 different pitchers in the nine-inning contest with neither starter lasting more than 5.0 innings. Junior Tyler Eritz (Oakdale, Pa./West Allegheny) took a no-decision after allowing one run (earned) on three hits and two walks in 4.0 innings. Sophomore Bradyn Kail (Baltimore, Md./Loyola Blakefield) suffered the loss after yielding five runs (four earned) on six hits in 2.0 innings of relief.

The Vulcans are idle for nearly a week before returning to action on Tuesday, March 20, when they host Bloomsburg for a doubleheader at Wild Things Park in Washington, Pennsylvania, at 1 p.m.