BUTLER, Pa. (April 13) – The California University of Pennsylvania baseball team totaled 28 runs on 26 hits, including two grand slams, on its way to a series sweep against Clarion on Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action at Historic Pullman Park, securing an 8-0 shutout victory in Game 1 before posting a 20-8 win in Game 2.
 
With the sweep, the Vulcans extends their winning streak to five-straight games and improve to 26-8 this season with a 12-4 mark in divisional play. Cal U has now matched its win total from last season after sweeping both Clarion and IUP in conference action this year. Meanwhile, the Golden Eagles drop to 15-21 overall behind a 5-11 mark in league play.
 
In Game 1, senior starter Tyler Eritz (Oakdale, Pa./West Allegheny) improved to 5-0 this season and recorded his first career complete-game shutout. He surrendered zero runs on eight hits with two walks and three strikeouts over 7.0 innings (85 pitches). Eritz has now posted a career-high five wins after tossing 42.0 innings in eight appearances this season. Golden Eagle redshirt sophomore Kyler Mellott suffered the loss (2-5) after allowing six runs (five earned) on seven hits with two walks in 3.0 innings (50 pitches).
 
After a scoreless first inning, the Vulcans looked to get on the board in the second frame after freshmen Patrick Brogan (Pittsburgh, Pa./Our Lady of the Sacred Heart) and Jacob McCaskey (Tarentum, Pa./Deer Lakes) registered back-to-back singles with one out. Clarion managed to record consecutive outs to strand both runners on base. In the top of the third, senior center fielder Ben Maudie (Jackson, Mo./Jackson) reached on an error before advancing to second on a sacrifice bunt. Senior first baseman Eric Fairman (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) then delivered an RBI single to right field to take a 1-0 lead. The Golden Eagles stranded a runner in scoring position in the bottom half before Cal U scored six runs on five hits in the fourth inning. Sophomore third baseman Louden Conte (California, Pa./California) led off with a solo homer to left field, his fourth of the year, to establish a 2-0 advantage. Brogan followed with a single through the left side before McCaskey drew a walk. Senior catcher Kristian Webb (Whitby, Ontario/Sinclair) then executed a bunt single that scored Brogan before junior left fielder Aaron Previsky (California, Pa./California) collected an RBI single through the left side to take a 4-0 lead. A wild pitch advanced a pair of runners into scoring position and senior second baseman Nico Marchetti (Laurel, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) drew a walk to load the bases. With two outs, junior designated hitter Corey Fogle (Connellsville, Pa./Connellsville) tallied a two-run single to right field and Marchetti scored on an error by the first baseman to stretch the lead to 7-0.
 
In the bottom of the fourth, the Golden Eagles notched back-to-back singles with one out. Clarion then laced a single to center field with two outs before Maudie threw out the lead runner at home to end the inning. Brogan belted a solo homer to left field, his second of the season, to stretch the lead to 8-0 in the top of the fifth. Both teams went scoreless in the final two frames, as Cal U claimed an 8-0 victory.
 
Brogan finished 3-for-3 with a solo homer and two runs scored, while McCaskey went 1-for-2 with one run scored and one walk. Webb, Previsky and Fairman each finished 1-for-3 with one RBI against the Golden Eagles.
 
In Game 2, Maudie finished 3-for-5, including a grand slam, with eight RBI, two runs scored and one walk, while Marchetti notched a grand slam and added six RBI, two runs scored and one stolen base. McCaskey went 3-for-4 with four runs scored and one walk and freshman catcher Justin Stewart (Butler, Pa./Butler) also finished 3-for-4 with three runs scored and a walk. Brogan went 3-for-5 with one RBI and three runs scored, plus Fairman and Fogle each finished with two hits, one RBI and one run scored.
 
Cal U tallied three runs on three hits in the top of the second after Fogle reached third base following a single and a two-base error by the left fielder. Conte then drew a walk before Brogan laced an RBI single up the middle to take a 1-0 advantage. Later in the frame, Stewart recorded a walk to load the bases and Maudie notched a two-run single to left field with two outs to extend the lead to 3-0. After a scoreless third, the Vulcans notched another three run in the fourth inning following a leadoff double down the left-field line by McCaskey and a bunt single from Stewart. Previsky notched an RBI on a ground-out before Maudie registered a triple to left field to score Stewart, 5-0. Marchetti then posted an RBI on a fielder's choice, as the Cal U went ahead by a 6-0 margin. Clarion tallied a run in the bottom half on a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 6-1.
 
In the top of the fifth, the Vulcans scored six runs on four hits, highlighted by a grand slam to center field by Marchetti, his third homer of the season, to establish a 12-1 advantage. Clarion countered in the bottom half also recording six runs to trim the deficit to 12-7. McCaskey and Stewart notched back-to-back single to right field with one out in the sixth before Previsky drew a walk to load the bases. Maudie then collected an RBI after drawing a walk before Marchetti reached on a fielder's choice that scored Stewart. 14-7. Previsky later scored on a throwing error by the second baseman and Fairman posted an RBI single to right field, as Cal U built a 16-7 lead. The Golden Eagles scored in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single to trim the deficit to 16-8. In the seventh, Maudie launched a grand slam to left field, his team-leading seventh homer of the year, as the Vulcans took a sizeable 20-8 advantage.
 
Sophomore Richie Serignese (New Castle, Pa./Neshannock) earned the win (1-0) after yielding one run (earned) on three hits in 1.0 inning of relief. Senior starter Damian Clarke (Carlisle, Ontario/Waterdown) took a no-decision after allowing one run (earned) on five hits with two walks and one strikeout over 3.1 innings (61 pitches). Sophomore Hunter Robinson  (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg Central) also worked 1.0 scoreless inning of relief with three strikeouts to close out the game. Clarion junior Jeremy Frazier was saddled the loss (1-3) after surrendering six runs (all earned) on seven hits with two walks and one strikeout in 3.1 innings (65 pitches).

Cal U returns to action on Tuesday, April 16, when it travels to face Wheeling Jesuit in non-conference doubleheader at 1 p.m.