CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (April 10) – Junior left fielder Ben Maudie (Jackson, Mo./Jackson) recorded three homers in Game 2 on Tuesday afternoon, as the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team erupted for a combined 40 runs on 40 hits, including 10 home runs, in a non-conference doubleheader sweep over Salem at Robert C. Byrd High School, winning 13-4 in Game 1 before claiming a 27-13 victory in Game 2.

With the sweep, the Vulcans improve 18-11 on the season with a 10-6 mark in non-conference play. Meanwhile, the Tigers fall to 15-11-1 overall in their second season competing as an independent program. 

Cal U etched its named in the NCAA Division II baseball record book after a historic second inning in Game 2 versus Salem. The Vulcans became just the 13th school with at least 13 hits in a single inning, as Armstrong State (Ga.) last accomplishing the feat in 2006. Cal U also became the 23rd team to hit at least four home runs in a single inning. The Vulcans became just the third NCAA Division II team this season to record eight homers in a single game, a feat only accomplished five other times in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) history. Cal U became the 25th team to record multiple grand slams in a single game in NCAA Division II history. 

Individually, Maudie went 5-for-5 with three homers, including a grand slam, and tallied nine RBI and four runs scored in Game 2 against the Tigers. The Missouri native became the 21st player in NCAA Division II history with at least six RBI in a single inning. Maudie is the sixth player this season with at least nine RBI in a game, while being the 19th individual to hit three homers in a game during the 2018 campaign. He joins teammate Levi Krause (East Berlin, Pa./Spring Grove) as the only Cal U players to reach the record three homers in a game since 2003. He entered play on Tuesday with zero homers in 54 career at-bats. 

In Game 2, Cal U matched a season high with 23 hits after five different players recorded at least three hits in the contest. Freshman Louden Conte (California, Pa./California) finished 3-for-5, including a grand slam for his first collegiate homer, with five RBI and three runs scored. Redshirt freshman Bill Hitman (Norristown, Pa./Pope John Paul II) registered three hits, one RBI, four runs scored and two walks, while senior Chris Wastchak (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) went 3-for-3 with a two-run homer, three RBI and three runs scored. Krause posted three hits, including a two-run homer, and two runs scored and junior Eric Fairman (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) finished 2-for-3 with a two-run homer, three RBI and two runs scored. 

The Vulcans jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the top of the first, highlighted by a two-run homer from Krause before Conte delivered a grand slam. Salem answered with a solo homer by sophomore Noah Suarez in the bottom of the inning before the Vulcans exploded for 15 runs on 13 hits in the second. The inning featured four home runs, including two-run homers by Wastchak, Fairman and Maudie. On the second time through the batting order, Maudie launched a grand slam to extend the lead before Cal U added two more runs to close out the inning with a 22-1 advantage. 

After a leadoff single in the top of the third, Maudie belted a two-run homer, his third of the game, to put the Vulcans up 24-1. The Tigers answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning. Cal U added three runs in the top of the fourth, as junior Kristian Webb (Whitby, Ontario/Sinclair) recorded a two-run homer before Conte registered an RBI on a fielder's choice. Salem attempted to mount a comeback in the fourth after logging 10 runs on eight hits. The Tigers scored four runs via single before freshman Anthony Beam belted a grand slam to trim the deficit to 27-13. Both teams went scoreless over the final three innings and combined for just one hit.

Redshirt junior pitcher Matt Carter (Glenshaw, Pa./Shaler) improved to 1-2 this season after yielding one run (earned) on two hits with two strikeouts in 2.1 innings of relief. Sophomore John Bowser (Pittsburgh, Pa./Kiski) received the no-decision in his first career start after working 3.2 innings with three strikeouts. Tiger freshman Cole Standifer was saddled with the loss after surrendering 10 runs (all earned) on five hits with five walks in 1.0-plus inning.

In Game 1, Cal U boasted six players with multiple hits, as senior second baseman Garrett Brooks (Connellsville, Pa./Greensburg Central Catholic) finished 4-for-5 with one RBI and two runs scored, while senior shortstop Austin Logan (Beaver, Pa./Beaver) registered three hits, one RBI and three runs scored. Redshirt senior Bobby Thompson (Blairsville, Pa./Blairsville) added to the offensive charge by going 2-for-5 with four RBI and one run scored and Fairman totaled two hits, including a two-run homer, three runs scored and two steals. Junior designated hitter Thomas Chisam (Williamsburg, Va./Walsingham Academy) went 2-for-3, including a solo homer, with two runs scored and one walk, while junior center fielder Nico Marchetti (Laurel, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) posted two hits and one RBI on Tuesday. 

The Vulcans recorded six runs on five hits in the top of the first inning after leading off with back-to-back singles from Logan and Brooks. A walk loaded the bases before Wastchak delivered a sacrifice fly to give Cal U a 1-0 lead. A wild pitch moved Brooks and Krause into scoring position before Thompson posted a two-run double to extend the advantage, 3-0. Fairman then belted a two-run homer before Chisam registered a solo homer, his second of the year, to give the Vulcans a 6-0 lead. 

In the second, Cal U extended its lead to 8-0 after Thompson recorded a two-run single before Salem broke the shutout in the bottom of the inning by scoring two runs, 8-2. The Vulcans responded in the top of the third with an RBI single from Marchetti before both teams went scoreless in the fourth inning. In the top of the fifth, Logan delivered an RBI single to left field followed by an RBI double by Brooks to give Cal U an 11-2 lead. The Tigers added one run in the bottom of the inning before Webb collected an RBI double in the sixth. Salem once again countered with a run in the bottom of the sixth, while the Vulcans tallied an unearned run in the top of the seventh on a fielding error, 13-4. 

Sophomore pitcher Bradyn Kail (Baltimore, Md./Loyola Blakefield) earned the victory (1-1) in his first collegiate start after yielding three runs (all earned) on three hits with one walk over 5.0 innings. Freshman starter Brendan Case was roughed up for six runs (all earned) on five hits in 1.0 inning. 

Cal U returns to PSAC West action on Friday, April 13, when it opens a weekend series against Seton Hill with a doubleheader in Washington, Pennsylvania, at Wild Things Park at 1 p.m.