WILSON, NC (March 10) – Behind a season-high 17 hits, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team secured an 11-4 victory over Glenville State at Fleming Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
 
With the win, the Vulcans extend their winning streak to five-straight games and move to 8-1 this season while winning both games against Mountain East Conference (MEC) opponents. Meanwhile, the Pioneers fall to 0-8 overall with a 0-7 mark against teams from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).
 
Both teams were scoreless in the first inning before Glenville State got on the board in the top of the second with a two-run homer to left field by senior Ryan Colaw. Cal U responded in the bottom of third after sophomore catcher Bill Hitman (Norristown, Pa./Pope John Paul II) led off the inning with a single up the middle. A sacrifice bunt advanced Hitman into scoring position before senior center fielder Ben Maudie (Jackson, Mo./Jackson) laced a single to left-center to cut the deficit to 2-1. A wild pitch allowed Maudie to advance to third before senior second baseman Nico Marchetti (Laurel, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) tied the game on an RBI single to left field.
 
The Vulcans took the lead in the bottom of the fourth after a leadoff double to left field from sophomore third baseman Louden Conte (California, Pa./California). Freshman shortstop Jacob McCaskey (Tarentum,Pa./Deer Lakes) reached base on an infield single before Hitman delivered an RBI single up the middle to give Cal U a 3-2 lead. With runners on the corners following the hit, the Vulcans tallied another run after McCaskey scored from third, while Hitman was caught in a rundown at second base. The Pioneers closed the gap to one run in the top of the fifth after the base runner scored from third on a double play, 4-3. In the bottom of the sixth, Conte led off the frame with a solo homer to left-center, his second of the season, to extend the lead to 5-3. Senior right fielder Thomas Chisam (Williamsburg, Va./Walsingham Academy) followed with a double to left-center before senior first baseman Kristian Webb (Whitby, Ontario/Sinclair) launched an RBI double to right-center to take a 6-3 advantage. Glenville State responded in the top of the seventh with RBI single to right field to trim the deficit to 6-4.
 
Cal U broke the game open in the bottom of the seventh with five runs on seven hits after all nine batters for the Vulcans had a plate appearance. With one out, Marchetti hit a double to left field before moving to third on a ground-out. A wild pitch scored Marchetti and Conte followed with a double to right-center. Chisam then registered a single to score Conte before junior Aaron Previsky (California, Pa./California) enter the game as a pinch runner. Previsky stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error. McCaskey then recorded an RBI single to stretch the lead to 8-4 before Webb notched a single through the left side. Hitman collected another RBI on a single to center field before freshman Patrick Brogan (Pittsburgh, Pa./Our Lady of the Sacred Heart) lined a single to left field to bring in Webb, 11-4.
 
Conte finished 3-for-5 with one RBI and three runs scored, while Hitman went 3-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored. McCaskey finished 3-for-4 with one RBI and two runs scored, plus Webb went 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored. Chisam finished 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored, while Marchetti went 2-for-5 with one RBI and one run scored.
 
Junior Bradyn Kail (Balitmore, Md./Loyola Blakefield) improved to 3-0 this season after surrendering four runs (all earned) on seven hits with five strikeouts over 7.0 innings (102 pitches). He forced 10 ground-outs and issued zero walks against the Pioneers. Freshman Patrick Gumto (Allison Park, Pa./Shaler) closed out the game with 2.0 scoreless innings of the relief, yielding zero hits with two strikeouts. Senior Andrue Hughart (0-2) was saddled with loss after surrendering eight runs (all earned) on 12 hits with five strikeouts in 6.2 innings (101 pitches).
 
Cal U returns to action tomorrow, Monday, March 11, with a doubleheader versus Kutztown at Fleming Stadium in North Carolina, starting at 2 p.m.