WASHINGTON, Pa. (April 27) – The California University of Pennsylvania baseball team secured a split of a doubleheader against Slippery Rock in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action on Friday afternoon at Wild Things Park, falling 9-7 in Game 1 before posting an 11-4 victory in Game 2. 

With the split, the Vulcans move to 22-18 on the season behind a 10-12 record in league play. Cal U remains in fifth place in the PSAC West standings and sits three-games back of the final playoff spot after Gannon and Seton Hill split on Friday. Meanwhile, The Rock stands at 26-12 overall with a 17-5 record in conference action.

In Game 2, Cal U boasted four players with multiple hits, as junior right fielder Ben Maudie (Jackson, Mo./Jackson) finished 2-for-4 with a pair of three-run homers, six RBI and two runs scored. Senior designated hitter Chris Wastchak (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) collected two hits, two RBI and one run scored, while junior first baseman Eric Fairman (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) went 2-for-3 with one RBI, three runs scored, two steals and one walk. Senior shortstop Austin Logan (Beaver, Pa./Beaver) tallied two hits, one run scored and one stolen base against Slippery Rock.

The Rock took an early 2-0 lead with a pair of RBI doubles in the top of the first before the Vulcans scored five runs on four hits in the bottom of the inning. Logan led off the bottom of the first with a single to center field before advancing to second on a stolen base. Senior second baseman Garrett Brooks (Connellsville, Pa./Greensburg Central Catholic) then drew a walk before a bunt single from Fairman loaded the bases. Wastchak delivered a sacrifice fly to score Logan, while Brooks moved to third on the play. Maudie then belted a three-run homer to left field, his fifth of the year, before junior catcher Kristian Webb (Whitby, Ontario/Sinclair) went back-to-back with a solo homer, his second of the season, to put Cal U ahead 5-2. 

Slippery Rock went scoreless in the top of the second before the Vulcans stretched their lead with two runs on three hits in the bottom of the inning. With two outs, Brooks posted a single to right field before advancing to second on a steal. Fairman notched an RBI single to left field before moving to second on a stolen base. Wastchak then registered a one-run single to right field to give Cal U a 7-2 lead. The Rock responded with a solo homer from third baseman Abraham Mow in the top of third before the Vulcans countered with an unearned run bottom half in the inning, 8-3. The Rock were retired in order the fourth before the Vulcans added three more runs in the bottom of the inning. Fairman drew a walk before Wastchak recorded a single through the right side. A ground-out advanced both runners into scoring position before Maudie launched another three-run homer down the left field line, his sixth of the year, to put Cal U up 11-3. Both teams went scoreless in the fifth and sixth innings before The Rock tallied a run in the top of the seventh on an RBI single, 11-4.

Freshman Hunter Robinson (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central) improved to 4-4 on the season after tossing his second complete game of the year while setting a season high with eight strikeouts. He yielded four runs (all earned) on seven hits with four walks over 7.0 innings (113 pitches). Slippery Rock senior Matt Gordon was saddled with the loss (5-1) after being roughed up for 11 runs (10 earned) on 11 hits with two walks and five strikeouts in 4.0 innings (92 pitches). 

In Game 1, The Rock claimed the early lead with a two-run single up the middle before Cal U answered with an RBI ground-out from Fairman to trim the deficit to 2-1 after the first inning. Both teams went scoreless in the second before designated hitter Tyler Walters belted a solo homer in the top of the third, his league-leading 12th home run of the season, after breaking the PSAC record with 46 career homers on Wednesday versus Alderson Broaddus, 3-1.

The Vulcans took their first lead of the game after scoring three runs on three hits in the bottom of the third. With one out, Logan laced a solo homer to left field, his first of the season, before Fairman registered an RBI double to tie the contest. Wastchak then put Cal U in front 4-3 on a one-run single up the middle. Slippery Rock reclaimed the lead at 7-4 on a pair of two-run doubles from Kyle Wise and Mow in the top of the fourth inning. The Rock stretched the lead on an RBI double in the top of the fifth before the Vulcans cut the deficit with three runs on three hits in the bottom half of the inning. Logan drew a walk before Brooks delivered a single to right field. After back-to-back outs, senior third baseman Levi Krause (East Berlin, Pa./Spring Grove) recorded an RBI single before Webb laced a two-run single to right center to trail 8-7 after the fifth. Slippery Rock tallied one run in the top of the sixth before Cal U went down in order in the bottom half of the inning. In the bottom of the seventh, Wastchak registered a single to left field with one out before Maudie was hit by a pitch with two outs to put the tying run on first base. The Rock secured the win on a ground-out, as the Vulcans left two runners on base. 

Sophomore starter Nick Riggle (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) suffered the loss (3-5) after allowing eight runs (seven earned) on seven hits with three walks and five strikeouts over 5.0 innings (106 pitches). Rock senior Alex Pantuso earned the win (6-2) after surrendering seven runs (all earned) on eight hits with four walks and six strikeouts in 5.0 innings (94 pitches). Junior Wyatt Daugherty secured his conference-leading seventh save, yielding one hit in 2.0 innings of scoreless relief.

In Game 1, Logan finished 2-for-3 with one RBI, three runs scored and one walk, while Webb posted two hits, two RBI and one walk. Wastchak went 2-for-4 with one RBI against The Rock. 

Cal U returns to action tomorrow, Saturday, April 28, when it continues its series with Slippery Rock with a road twinbill at 1 p.m.