JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (March 31) – The Vulcans combined for 25 hits and 26 runs to complete the series sweep at Pitt-Johnstown with a pair of victories on Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play, winning 19-7 in Game 1 and 7-5 in Game 2.

With the sweep, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team improves to 13-10 overall behind a 4-4 record in league action. The Vulcans have now swept the Mountain Cats in back-to-back series after claiming four-straight wins last season. Meanwhile, Pitt-Johnstown falls to 6-15 on the season with a 3-5 record in conference play. 

In Game 1, the Vulcans boasted five players with multi-hit games, as redshirt senior Bobby Thompson (Blairsville, Pa./Blairsville) led the way with three hits, including a solo homer, three RBI and two runs scored. Redshirt freshman catcher Bill Hitman (Norristown, Pa./Pope John Paul II) finished 2-for-3 with three RBI and three runs scored, while junior center fielder Nico Marchetti (Laurel, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) registered two hits, three RBI and two runs scored off the bench. Junior left fielder Ben Maudie (Jackson, Mo./Jackson) went 2-for-3 with two RBI and three runs scored off the bench and senior right fielder Chris Wastchak (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) also tallied two hits and one RBI on Saturday. 

UPJ took an early 2-0 lead in the bottom of second on an RBI double and ground-out that scored a runner from third. Cal U responded in the top of the third by batting around after totaling eight runs on five hits. The inning was highlighted by a leadoff solo homer from Thompson, his second of the season, which was followed by a pair of RBI singles from Hitman and senior shortstop Austin Logan (Beaver, Pa./Beaver). Later in the third, senior third baseman Levi Krause (East Berlin, Pa./Spring Grove) notched a run-scoring single before Wastchak registered an RBI on a single to right field, 8-3. 

The Mountain Cats answered in the bottom of the fourth with three runs on four hits to trim the deficit to 8-5. Cal U scored one run in the fifth on fielder's choice before stranding two runners to close the inning. The Vulcans extended their lead to 12-5 in the top of the sixth with three runs in the inning. Maudie scored the initial run of the sixth on an error by the third baseman, which allowed him to score from second. Logan and Thompson both recorded RBI singles in the inning before UPJ countered in the bottom half with two runs on an RBI single and a bases-loaded walk, 12-7. Cal U added seven insurance runs on four hits in the seventh inning, highlighted by a pair of two-run doubles from Marchetti and Maudie.

Junior reliever Tyler Eritz (Oakdale, Pa./West Allegheny) earned the win after tossing 1.2 innings of relief to improve to 2-0 this year, while sophomore starter Anthony Winkler (South Park, Pa./South Park) registered a no-decision after working 3.2 innings (63 pitches) with a pair of strikeouts. Mountain Cat junior starter Trent Martin (0-1) was saddled with the loss after yielding eight runs (four earned) on seven hits with four walks over 2.1 innings (81 pitches). 

In Game 2, UPJ jumped out to a 1-0 advantage in the top the first on an RBI single to right-center before the Vulcans scored one run in the third on a single from Wastchak on the eighth pitch of the at-bat. The Mountain Cats notched another run in the bottom half of the inning before Cal U collected five runs in the fourth. Senior designated hitter Garrett Brooks (Connellsville, Pa./Greensburg Central Catholic) led off the inning with a triple before scoring on fielder's choice from Maudie, who advanced to second base on an interference. After a walk, Krause belted a three-run homer to left field with two outs, his third of the season, to put the Vulcans ahead 5-2. Wastchak then posted an RBI triple to right-center to extend the lead. The Mountain Cats added two runs in the bottom half of the inning to cut the deficit to 6-4 before Cal U added a run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly. 

Freshman starter Hunter Robinson (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central) improved to 2-2 after surrendering four runs (three earned) on eight hits with five strikeouts in 4.0 innings (96 pitches). Redshirt freshman Richie Serignese (New Castle, Pa./Neshannock) earned his first save of the season after yielding one run (earned) on four hits over 3.0 innings (45 pitches). UPJ freshman starter Dylan Heid (1-3) suffered the loss after allowing six runs (five earned) on six hits with two walks and six strikeouts over 4.0 innings (93 pitches)

Krause finished 2-for-3, including a three-run homer, and two runs scored, while Wastchak posted two hits and two RBI in the win. Brooks also collected two hits and two runs scored.

The Vulcans return to action, Tuesday, April 3, when they host a non-conference doubleheader versus Lake Erie at 1 p.m.