WASHINGTON, Pa. (Feb. 22) – The Vulcans swept their season-opening doubleheader on Friday against Walsh at Wild Things Park, winning 9-8 and 5-2, highlighted by a pinch-hit, walk-off single in extra innings of Game 1 and a complete-game victory by junior Bradyn Kail (Balitmore, Md./Loyola Blakefield) in Game 2.
 
With the victories, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team starts the campaign with a 2-0 overall mark. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers fall to 0-2 this year after being tabbed sixth in the preseason Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) poll.
 
In Game 1, the Vulcans entered the bottom of the eighth inning trailing 8-6 before registering three runs on four hits to complete a 9-8 extra-inning, comeback victory. Senior catcher Kristian Webb (Whitby, Ontario/ Sinclair) opened the inning by belting a solo homer over the left field wall to cut the deficit to 8-7. After a hit by pitch, junior transfer Aaron Previsky (California, Pa./California) entered as a pinch runner and advanced to third base following a throwing error on a pickoff attempt and a wild pitch. With one out, freshman right fielder Patrick Brogan (Pittsburgh, Pa./Our Lady of the Sacred Heart) delivered a bunt single to bring in Previsky to tie the game at 8-8. Freshman shortstop Jacob McCaskey (Tarentum,Pa./Deer Lakes) put runners on the corners until advancing to second on a stolen base. Sophomore Bill Hitman (Norristown, Pa./Pope John Paul II) then entered the game as a pinch-hitter and laced a single to left field to drive in the game-winning run to secure the 9-8 win in Game 1.
 
Both teams were scoreless over the initial two innings of the contest before Cal U scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the third. Senior center fielder Ben Maudie (Jackson, Mo./Jackson) delivered an RBI triple to right center to tally the initial run of the game before Chisam drove in Maudie from third on a ground-out, as the Vulcans led 2-0 after three innings.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, Cal U had two runners on after a fielder's choice and single. With two outs, McCaskey launched a three-run homer off the scoreboard in left center, his first collegiate home run, to put the Vulcans ahead 5-0.
 
After a scoreless fifth inning, the Cavaliers closed the gap to 5-4 in the top of sixth after a ground-rule double scored a pair of runs with the bases loaded. Walsh followed with an RBI single and a sacrifice fly to trim the deficit to one run. In the bottom half, Brogan recorded an RBI on a fielder's choice to extend the Vulcans advantage to 6-4. The Cavaliers tied the game at 6-6 in the top of seventh after back-to-back singles put runners on base. Walsh junior Brenden Spaulding notch an RBI single before another run scored on a throwing error. Cal U was unable to score in the bottom of the seventh inning before Spaulding registered a two-run double to left center to put the Cavaliers ahead 8-6 in the top of the eighth.
 
McCaskey went 2-for-4, including a three-run homer, while Brogan finished 2-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.
 
Freshman Patrick Gumto (Allison Park, Pa./Shaler) earned the win after tossing 2.0 innings of relief with two strikeouts. Junior Nick Riggle (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) made the season-opening start and posted a no-decision after working 5.0 scoreless innings (70 pitches) with four strikeouts. Junior Ben Bulchik was saddled with loss after yielding three runs (all earned) on four hits in 1.1 innings of relief.
 
In Game 2, Kail posted a 7.0-inning, complete-game victory after allowing two runs (both earned) on seven hits with three strikeouts. He made only his second career start and collected his first collegiate complete game after primarily serving as a reliever last season. Kail faced 28 batters with nine ground-outs and eight fly-outs in the game.
 
Cal U scored the first run of the game after starting the bottom of the first inning with a walk. Senior left fielder Thomas Chisam (Willamsburg, Va./Walsingham Academy) then recorded a single to put runners on the corners. After a foul-out to first base, Maudie scored from third on a throwing error to give the Vulcans a 1-0 advantage. In the second, Walsh tied the game on a single through left side after collecting a double with two outs. The Vulcans went scoreless in the bottom half of the second before Kail retired the side in order in the top of the third inning.
 
Cal U totaled four runs on three hits in the bottom of third to break the tie. Chisam belted a solo homer off the video board in right field to give the Vulcans a 2-1 lead before senior first baseman Eric Fairman (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) reached second on a single and a stolen base. Webb reached first on a wild pitch that advanced Fairman to third. Sophomore third baseman Louden Conte (California, Pa./California) then laced a triple down the right-field line to score a pair of runs. Senior second baseman Nico Marchetti (Laurel, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) posted a sacrifice fly to bring in Conte from third to put Cal U ahead 5-1.
 
Kail retired the side in the fourth and fifth innings before Cavalier first baseman Andrew Czech launched a solo homer to right field to cut the deficit to 5-2 in the top of the sixth.
 
In Game 2, Chisam finished 2-for-3, including a solo homer, while Marchetti went 2-for-2 with one RBI. Conte finished 1-for-3 with two RBI and one run scored.
 
Cal U returns to action tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 23, when it closes out the series versus Walsh at Wild Things Park in Washington, Pennsylvania, starting at 11 a.m.