WASHINGTON, Pa. (April 25) – Senior third baseman Levi Krause (East Berlin, Pa./Spring Grove) registered three homers on Wednesday night, as the Vulcans tallied 15 hits in a 15-9 victory over West Liberty in non-conference play at Wild Things Park. 

With the win, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team improves to 21-17 overall with an 11-6 record in non-conference action. Meanwhile, the Hilltoppers fall to 14-22 on the season after playing their fifth game in four days. 

Krause finished 3-for-4 with three solo homers and tallied three RBI, four runs scored and one walk against West Liberty. He has now recorded three home runs in a game twice in just over a calendar year, achieving the feat last season against Seton Hill on April 8. The Spring Grove product joins teammate Ben Maudie (Jackson, Mo./Jackson) as the only Cal U players to belt three homers in a game since 2003. Krause leads the team with eight homers this season and is now tied with Wayne Lock (1981-84) for fourth place all-time in school history with 24 home runs.

West Liberty took an early 2-0 lead with a pair of RBI singles in the top of the first, while the Vulcans went scoreless in the bottom of the inning. Cal U responded in the second inning with seven runs on five hits after a leadoff walk by Maudie. Redshirt freshman catcher Bill Hitman (Norristown, Pa./Pope John Paul II) then drew a walk before junior left fielder Nico Marchetti (Laurel, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) loaded the bases on a bunt single. Senior center fielder Danny McGrath (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) delivered an RBI single to left field before the Vulcans took a 3-2 lead on a two-run single from senior second baseman Garrett Brooks (Connellsville, Pa./Greensburg Central Catholic). Junior first baseman Eric Fairman (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) then laced a two-run triple to left center before scoring on a sacrifice fly by senior designated hitter Chris Wastchak (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township). Krause then launched a solo homer to left center field to put the Vulcan ahead 7-2 after two innings. 

The Hilltoppers went down in order in the top of the third before Cal U extended its lead with an RBI single through the right side from McGrath, 8-2. The Vulcans escaped without allowing a run in the top of the fourth after forcing West Liberty to leave the bases loaded. Cal U tallied two more runs to take a 10-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth. Fairman drew a walk to lead off the inning before stealing both second and third. Fairman then scored on a ground-out before Krause launched his second solo homer of the contest to left field. Both teams went scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings before the Vulcans added three additional runs in the bottom of the seventh. Krause started the inning with his third solo homer of the game before Marchetti notched an RBI double to right field. Redshirt senior Bobby Thompson (Blairsville, Pa./Blairsville) then delivered an RBI single to give Cal U a 13-2 lead. The Hilltoppers would trim the deficit to 13-7 after recording five runs on three hits and four walks in the top of the eighth. The Vulcans countered in the bottom of the inning with a pair of RBI singles through the left side by Marchetti and McGrath, 15-7. In the top of the ninth, shortstop Ethan Estes belted a two-run homer with two outs to cut the deficit to 15-9 before Cal U closed out the contest with ground-out.

Sophomore John Bowser (Pittsburgh, Pa./Kiski) earned his first career victory (1-0) after yielding two runs (both earned) on four hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 3.0 innings. Classmates Anthony Winkler (South Park, Pa./South Park) and Bradyn Kail (Baltimore, Md./Loyola Blakefield) both tossed 2.0 innings of scoreless relief, surrendering a combined five hits and totaling four strikeouts. Hilltopper sophomore Matt Gruber suffered the loss (0-1) after being roughed up for seven runs (all earned) on five hits with three walks in 2.0 innings.

Marchetti finished 3-for-4 with two RBI, two runs scored and one walk, while McGrath recorded three hits, three RBI and one run scored.

The Vulcans return to action Friday, April 27, when they open a weekend series against Slippery Rock with a doubleheader in Washington, Pennsylvania, at Wild Things Park at 1 p.m.