WASHINGTON, Pa. (March 2) – The Vulcans secured a doubleheader sweep against Ohio Valley (W.Va.) with a pair of one-run victories at Wild Things Park on Saturday afternoon, recording a 3-2 win in Game 1 before claiming a 2-1 victory in Game 2.
 
With the wins, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team improves to 5-1 overall after facing a pair of opponents from the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC). Meanwhile, the Fighting Scots drop to 0-8 this season after being tabbed to finish ninth in the preseason G-MAC poll following an appearance in the league tournament in 2018.
 
In Game 1, the Vulcans entered the bottom of the sixth with the game tied at 2-2. Cal U opened the inning with a walk from senior first baseman Eric Fairman  (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) before a sacrifice bunt and a stolen base placed him on third. Sophomore third baseman Louden Conte (California, Pa./California) delivered the go-ahead RBI single through the right side to take a 3-2 lead on Saturday.
 
Ohio Valley threatened to score in the first inning after placing runners on the corners with one out. The Vulcans ended the threat with a strikeout and caught stealing at second to close the frame with no runs. In the bottom of the second, Cal U tallied the initial run of the contest after senior catcher Kristian Webb (Whitby, Ontario/ Sinclair) laced a triple to right center. Conte then reached base on a hit by pitch before senior second baseman Nico Marchetti (Laurel, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) registered an RBI on a fielder's choice to take a 1-0 advantage.
 
The Vulcans added a run in the bottom of third despite opening the inning with a pair of outs. Senior center fielder Ben Maudie (Jackson, Mo./Jackson) posted a double to center field and advanced to third on a passed ball. A walk placed runners on the corners before Fairman recorded a single to left field to score Maudie and extend the lead to 2-0. Both teams went scoreless in the fourth and fifth innings before the Fighting Scots totaled two runs in the top of the sixth to tie the game at 2-2. After starting the frame with two outs, Ohio Valley placed a pair on runners on base from a single and a walk. Junior Bryen Kimbrough then delivered a double to right center to score both base runners.
 
Junior starter Nick Riggle (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) earned his first win of the season after yielding two runs (both earned) on eight hits with four strikeouts over 6.0 innings (100 pitches). Sophomore Richie Serignese (New Castle, Pa./Neshannock) recorded the save after surrendering zero hits in 1.0 inning of scoreless relief. Fighting Scot junior Ryan Valentine (0-3) received the loss despite tossing a 6.0 inning, complete-game after allowing three runs (all earned) on five hits with six strikeouts.
 
Fairman finished 2-for-2 with one RBI, one run scored and one walk, while Conte went 1-for-2 with one RBI. Webb finished 1-for-2 with one run scored.
 
In Game 2, junior Bradyn Kail (Balitmore, Md./Loyola Blakefield) improved to 2-0 this year after yielding one run (earned) on just three hits with a career-high seven strikeouts over 8.0 innings (100 pitches), as Cal U faced Ohio Valley in a nine-inning contest. Senior Tyler Eritz (Oakdale, Pa./West Allegheny) claimed his first collegiate save, working 1.0 inning of scoreless relief on Saturday. Fighting Scot sophomore Chase Weihl (0-2) was saddled with the loss after allowing two runs (both earned) on six hits over 5.0 innings.
 
The Vulcans scored in the bottom of the first after Maudie posted a single to left field before stealing second base. With two outs, Webb registered an RBI single to left-center to give Cal U a 1-0 lead. The Vulcans stranded two base runners in both the first and second innings. In the bottom of the third, Conte laced a double down the left-field line before advancing to third on a fielding error. Marchetti followed with a triple into left-center to score a run, as Cal U held a 2-0 advantage. Kail retired the side in both the second and fourth innings to preserve the lead for the Vulcans.
 
In the top of the sixth, Ohio Valley senior Daniel Quinn launched a homer to left field, his first of the season, with two outs to cut the deficit to 2-1. Cal U stranded a runner in scoring position in the bottom of the sixth and seventh. Kail retired the side in order in the top of the seventh and eighth frames with three strikeouts before Eritz sealed the win in the ninth inning with the game-tying run on second.
 
In Game 2, Marchetti went 2-for-4 with one RBI, while Conte finished 2-for-4 with one run scored. Maudie went 2-for-3 with one run scored.
 
Cal U returns to action on Friday, March 8, when it travels to Wilson, North Carolina, to play seven games over a six-day stretch. Cal U opens its spring trip with a nine-inning contest versus West Virginia State at 3 p.m.