GREENSBURG, Pa. (April 28) – The California University of Pennsylvania softball team dropped both games of a doubleheader against Seton Hill in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play on Saturday afternoon, suffering a 5-4 loss in 10 innings in Game 1 before dropping a 9-2 contest in Game 2.

With the sweep, the Vulcans fall to 15-15 overall with a 9-7 record in league action. Cal U is still in post-season contention with four games left in the regular season, as it remains in third place in the PSAC West standings in terms of winning percentage. Meanwhile, the Griffins improve to 21-13 this season behind a 13-7 mark in divisional play while securing the second seed from the PSAC West in the upcoming league tournament.

In Game 1, Seton Hill held a 4-0 lead before Cal U scored a pair of runs in both the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings to tie the score. Both teams threatened to break the tie before the game was forced to extra innings with the score still tied at 4-4. Each team again had runners in scoring position in the eighth before the game was later forced to the international tiebreaker after the score remained tied after the ninth inning.

The Griffins started the top of the 10th with center fielder Paige Hertzog placed at second base. Seton Hill executed a sacrifice bunt to advance Hertzog to third before catcher Chelsea Rohan followed with a go-ahead RBI single. The Griffins later had runners on first and second with two outs before a fly-out ended the inning. In the bottom of the 10th, the Vulcans opened the inning with junior Abby Sachse (Sugarloaf, Pa./Hazleton) at second base. Sachse advanced to third base on a sacrifice bunt before being forced to remain at third on a fly-out to left field. Seton Hill then induced a ground-out to third to seal the victory.

Junior Emilee Downing (Groveport, Ohio/Groveport Madison) recorded the complete game in the loss to fall to 6-4 this season. She allowed five runs (two earned) on 13 hits and two walks while tallying five strikeouts over 10.0 innings (163 pitches). Seton Hill junior Devyn Terry (11-7) earned the victory after tossing 6.0 innings of shutout relief (97 pitches), scattering three hits and six walks.

In the top of the second, Seton Hill took a 2-0 lead on a two-run homer by Hertzog before adding another run on an RBI single in the third. The Griffins stretched the lead to 4-0 in the top of the fourth before the Vulcans responded in the bottom of the inning with a two-run homer by junior designated player Taylor Robblee (Woodstock, Ontario/College Avenue), 4-2. In the fifth, junior Logan Blake (Jordan Station, Ontario/Bishop Ridley) reached on a fielding error before advancing to third on a double by freshman catcher Brooke Wilson (Coraopolis, Pa./West Allegheny). The Griffins then made a pitching change to Terry with Blake scoring on a sacrifice fly and Robblee later delivering a two-out RBI single.

The Vulcans loaded the bases with one out in the sixth before a fielder's choice to second resulted in an out at the home followed by a ground-out to the pitcher. In the seventh, Seton Hill loaded the bases following a two-out error and walk before a ground-out ended the inning. The Vulcans opened the inning with a pair of walks before stranding the go-ahead runner on second. The Griffins mounted a two-out rally in the top of the eighth with a pair of singles and a walk before the inning ended with a ground-out to second. Cal U advanced a runner to second in both the eighth and ninth, but was unable to break the tie.

Robblee finished 2-for-3 with a two-run homer, her fourth of the year, and three RBI, while Wilson collected two hits and one run scored. Cal U, which drew nine walks in the loss, finished the game with 13 runners left on base.

In Game 2, Seton Hill took a 3-0 lead in the top of the second before adding two runs in the third, which started with a solo homer by Terry. Cal U opened the third with a double by second baseman Alexa Pastor (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield), who later scored following back-to-back ground-outs. The Griffins stretched the lead to 6-1 with one run in both the fourth and fifth before second baseman Brooke Bower belted a two-run homer in the sixth. Cal U led off the bottom of the sixth with back-to-back singles before another ground-outs led to a run, 9-2.

Junior Carly Konopka (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) suffered the loss after surrendering six runs (all earned) on nine hits in 3.1 innings. Seton Hill freshman Nichole McClendon (1-0) earned the complete-game victory, allowing two runs (both earned) on five hits and two walks.

The Vulcans return to action tomorrow, Sunday, April 29, with a doubleheader at Slippery Rock, starting at 1 p.m.