CLERMONT, Fla. (March 15) – The Vulcans finished their spring trip on Thursday morning with a split at the PFX Games in Florida, posting a 5-0 victory against Bemidji State (Minn.) before suffering a 9-0 run-rule loss to Wayne State (Mich.).
With the split, the California University of Pennsylvania softball team moves to 6-8 overall with a 5-5 mark at the PFX Spring Games. The Vulcans faced opponents from six difference conferences during their spring trip to Florida.
Against Bemidji State (6-9), junior
Emilee Downing (Groveport, Ohio/Groveport Madison) improved to 3-1 this season after tossing a six-hit, complete-game shutout. She registered eight strikeouts and issued two walks while making her team-leading fifth start of the season. Downing forced the Beavers to leave five runners on base, including a pair in scoring position in the bottom of the seventh to preserve the shutout.
The Vulcans took a 1-0 lead in the top of second after benefiting from both an error and a passed ball in the inning. Cal U added to its lead in the fourth inning after junior designated player
Taylor Robblee (Woodstock, Ontario/College Avenue) led off with a double and scored on a single by senior left fielder
Kaylyn Roose (Akron, Ohio/Revere). The Vulcans stretched the lead to 3-0 in the top of the sixth when freshman catcher
Brooke Wilson (Coraopolis, Pa./West Allegheny) collected a two-out RBI single.
In the seventh, Cal U tallied a pair of insurance runs behind RBI singles from sophomore first baseman
Paige Wilson (Warren, Pa./Warren) and Roose.
Five different players for the Vulcans recorded multi-hit games with Robblee finishing 3-for-4 with one run scored. Roose went 2-for-4 with two RBI, while senior third baseman
Carlee Wickstrom (Canonsburg, Pa./Peters Township),
Brooke Wilson and
Paige Wilson each finished with two hits.
Against Wayne State (9-6), Cal U committed five errors over six innings that led to eight unearned runs. Robblee (1-5) was saddled with the loss after allowing two runs (one earned) on seven hits and two walks in 3.2 innings pitched.
The Vulcans left the bases loaded in the bottom of the first before Robblee forced the Warriors to leave three runners on in the second inning. Wayne State took a 1-0 lead in the third before again leaving the bases loaded. In the fourth, Cal U committed a two-out error that led to five runs in the inning. The Warriors added another run in the fifth before claiming the run-rule victory in the sixth with a two-run homer by second baseman Kylee Barrett after the inning was extended with a two-out error.
Senior centerfielder
Jacquelyn Fowler (Grove City, Ohio/Central Crossing) and
Paige Wilson both collected two hits, as the Vulcans were held to six hits in the contest. The teams combined to leave 21 runners on base, including 10 in scoring position.