SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. (April 29) – The Vulcans claimed a split in a doubleheader at Slippery Rock on Sunday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play, posting a 4-3 win in Game 1 before a 20-5 loss in Game 2.  

With the split, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team stands at 23-19 overall with an 11-13 mark in league action. The Vulcans enter the final week of divisional play trailing Seton Hill by two games in the PSAC West standings for the final playoff spot. Meanwhile, The Rock moves to 27-13 on the season behind an 18-6 record in conference play. 

In Game 1, Slippery Rock held a 2-0 lead through the fifth inning before Cal U tied the contest with a pair of run in the top of the sixth. Junior first baseman Eric Fairman (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) notched a leadoff double before senior designated hitter Chris Wastchak (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) broke the shutout with an RBI single up the middle. A pair of bunt singles loaded the bases before junior catcher Kristian Webb (Whitby, Ontario/Sinclair) delivered a sacrifice fly to score Wastchak from third, 2-2. 

In the top of the seventh, senior shortstop Austin Logan (Beaver, Pa./Beaver) singled through the left side before advancing to second on an infield single from Fairman. With one out, Wastchak registered an RBI single to give the Vulcans their first lead of the game. Senior third baseman Levi Krause (East Berlin, Pa./Spring Grove) then recorded a one-run single to put Cal U ahead 4-2. The Rock trimmed the deficit to 4-3 in the bottom of the inning on a solo homer from center fielder Frankie Jezioro. The Vulcans retired three of the next four batters to secure the victory in Game 1.

Junior starter Tyler Eritz (Oakdale, Pa./West Allegheny) improved to 4-1 on the season after yielding three runs (all earned) on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts over 6.1 innings (95 pitches). Sophomore Corey Fogle (Connellsville, Pa./Connellsville) retired the final two batters to record the first save of the year. Rock reliever Wyatt Daugherty (3-3) suffered the loss after allowing two runs (all earned) on four hits in 2.0 innings. Junior starter Chris Anastas logged a no-decision after surrendering two runs (both earned) on seven hits and two walks in 5.0 innings (92 pitches). 

In the top of the first, senior second baseman Garrett Brooks (Connellsville, Pa./Greensburg Central Catholic) registered a one-out single before advancing to third on a stolen base and a throwing error by the catcher. Brooks was stranded in scoring position after a ground-out concluded the inning. Slippery Rock got on the board in the top of the second with a two-homer homer from second baseman Mitchell Wood to take a 2-0 lead. In the top of third, Brooks recorded a single and moved to second on a stolen base before Fairman reached base on a hit by pitch. Both runners were stranded on base on a fly-out to end the inning. Webb reached base in the top of the fourth before advancing to second on a stolen base, but was also stranded in scoring position. 

The Vulcans boasted four players with multi-hit contests, as Krause led the team with three hits and recorded one RBI, while Wastchak finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored. Fairman registered two hits and two runs scored and Brooks went 2-for-4 with two stolen bases against The Rock. 

In Game 2, Slippery Rock once again jumped out to an early lead with three runs on four hits in the bottom of the first. Left fielder Luca Fuscardo launched a two-run homer before an RBI single gave The Rock a 3-0 advantage. The Vulcans answered in the top of the third to tie the game after junior left fielder Nico Marchetti (Laurel, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) led off the inning with a double to center field. Logan then notched an RBI single to right center before moving to second on a stolen base. Fairman record a one-run single to score Logan before scoring on a wild pitch to tie contest after three innings. 

The Rock broke open the game in the bottom of the fourth with 10 runs on seven hits, including four extra-base hits, to take a 13-3 lead, as Cal U was forced to use four different pitchers in the inning. In the top of the fifth, the Vulcans scored two unearned runs on a fielding error by the third baseman to trim the deficit to 13-5. Slippery Rock added seven runs on seven hits in the bottom of the sixth, highlighted by a three-run triple from Jezioro and a two-run homer by third baseman Abraham Mow, 20-5. 

Senior starter Carter Krick (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) was saddled with the loss (3-4) after yielding eight runs (all earned) on 12 hits with two strikeouts over 3.1 innings (65 pitches). Slippery Rock junior Tanner Stanz earned the win (2-1) after allowing five runs (three earned) on eight hits with four strikeouts in 4.1 innings (93 pitches).

Brooks, Fairman, Marchetti and Wastchak each posted multi-hit performances in Game 2.

The Vulcans return to action Friday, May 4, when they host Senior Day versus IUP with a doubleheader in Washington, Pennsylvania, at Wild Things Park, starting at 1 p.m.