WASHINGTON, Pa. (April 6) – The California University of Pennsylvania baseball team secured a doubleheader sweep over Pitt-Johnstown on Saturday afternoon at Wild Things Park, posting a 4-2 victory in Game 1 and collecting an 8-4 win in Game 2 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action.
 
With the sweep, the Vulcans improve to 20-7 this season behind a 7-3 record in divisional play. Cal U has already posted double-digit wins at home this year with an 11-3 record. Meanwhile, the Mountain Cats drop to 16-12 overall with a 4-6 mark in conference action.
 
In Game 1, junior starter Nick Riggle (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) improved to 4-1 on the season after tossing a 7.0-inning, complete-game victory. He yielded two runs (both unearned) on four hits with four strikeouts and three walks over 7.0 innings (115 pitches). He has now tossed three-straight complete games and has allowed only four earned runs on 11 hits during that span. Riggle has already matched his career high with four wins and paces the team with a 1.35 ERA in six starts this year.
 
The Mountain Cats attempted to jump out to an early lead in the first inning before a ground-out stranded a pair of runners on base. In the bottom half, senior center fielder Ben Maudie (Jackson, Mo./Jackson) led off the inning with a single before advancing to second on a stolen base. Senior left fielder Nico Marchetti (Laurel, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) then drew a walk and a double steal moved both runners in scoring position. With one out, junior third baseman Corey Fogle (Connellsville, Pa./Connellsville) was hit by a pitch before freshman right fielder Patrick Brogan (Pittsburgh, Pa./Our Lady of the Sacred Heart) delivered a two-run single to right-center to take a 2-0 lead. The Vulcans extended the advantage in the second inning with two more runs after freshman catcher Justin Stewart (Butler, Pa./Butler) singled to right field. A failed pickoff attempt moved Stewart to third before Maudie drew a walk with one out. Marchetti followed with a two-run double to left field to stretch the lead to 4-0. After a scoreless third inning, Pitt-Johnstown scored a pair of runs on a sacrifice fly and an RBI single to cut the deficit to 4-2 in the fourth. The teams combined for just one hit and left four runners on base in the final two-plus innings, as Cal U claimed a 4-2 win.
 
Marchetti and Brogan each tallied two RBI, while Maudie finished 1-for-2 with two runs scored, one walk and two stolen bases on Saturday.
 
In Game 2, the Vulcans established an early advantage after scoring four runs on just two hits in the second inning. Senior designated hitter Thomas Chisam (Williamsburg, Va./Walsingham Academy) started with a walk and Brogan followed with an infield single before a wild pitch moved both runners into scoring position. Senior Kristian Webb (Whitby, Ontario/Sinclair) recorded an RBI on a ground-out before freshman shortstop Jacob McCaskey (Tarentum, Pa./Deer Lakes) reached base on a sacrifice bunt after a throwing error by the catcher to score Brogan, 2-0. McCaskey advanced to third after a stolen base and a wild pitch until sophomore Bill Hitman (Norristown, Pa./Pope John Paul II) drew a walk. A wild pitch moved the runners and allowed McCaskey to score from third, 3-0. With two outs, Maudie registered an RBI on an infield single to stretch the lead to 4-0.

In the top of the fourth, the Mountain Cats tallied two runs on a pair of RBI singles to close the gap to 4-2 before stranding two runners on base. Cal U countered with two runs in the bottom half after Webb led off with a double to left-center and moved to third on a ground-out. Hitman collected a walk and stole second before Maudie loaded the bases on a hit by pitch. With two outs, Marchetti laced a single to right field to take a 6-2 advantage. Pitt-Johnstown responded once again with two runs in the top of the fifth after an RBI double and a runner scored from third on a failed pickoff attempt, 6-4. In the bottom of the fifth, Webb and McCaskey recorded back-to-back singles up the middle before Hitman delivered a two-run single to stretch the lead to 8-4.
 
Webb finished 2-for-3 with one RBI and two runs scored, while Maudie went 2-for-3 with one RBI and one stolen base. Hitman finished 1-for-1 with two RBI, two runs scored, two walks and one stolen base, plus McCaskey went 1-for-2 with one RBI, two runs scored and one stolen base.
 
Junior starter Bradyn Kail (Baltimore, Md./Loyola Blakefield) earned the win (5-1) after allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits with three strikeouts and one walk in 4.2 innings (70 pitches). Freshman Dylan Brosky (East Millsboro, Pa./Brownsville) worked 1.2 scoreless innings of relief with one hit and two strikeouts. Pitt-Johnstown sophomore Brandon Roxby was saddled with the loss (2-3) after surrendering eight runs (six earned) on six hits with four strikeouts and three walks over 4.2 innings (98 pitches).  
 
Cal U returns to action on Monday, April 8, when it continues its series at Pitt-Johnstown, starting at 1 p.m.