CALIFORNIA (May 4) – The Vulcans launched three home runs on Saturday afternoon to earn a doubleheader sweep over Slippery Rock at Wild Things Park on Senior Day, claiming an 8-2 victory in Game 1 and a 6-1 win in Game 2 in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action.
 
With the sweep, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team improves to 34-12 this season behind an 18-8 mark in divisional play. The 18 victories in conference play are the most in program history. Entering the final day of the regular season, Cal U can clinch the second seed in the PSAC West with a doubleheader sweep tomorrow, Sunday, May 5, at Slippery Rock, but any other outcome will result in the Vulcans earning the third seed in the league tournament. Meanwhile, The Rock falls to 14-27 overall with a 4-20 record in conference action.
 
In Game 1, junior starter Nick Riggle (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) improved to 7-2 this season after yielding two runs (one earned) on eight hits with one walk and three strikeouts over 6.0 innings (75 pitches). He finished the regular season with a 2.05 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 66.0 innings pitched. Sophomore Richie Serignese (New Castle, Pa./Neshannock) tossed 1.0 scoreless inning of relief to close out the contest. Slippery Rock senior Wyatt Daugherty suffered the loss (3-5) after surrendering seven runs (six earned) on six hits and four walks in 3.2 innings (78 pitches).
 
Cal U stranded two runners on base in the bottom of the first inning before The Rock left a pair of base runners in scoring position in the second inning. Freshman right fielder Patrick Brogan (Pittsburgh, Pa./Our Lady of the Sacred Heart) started the bottom of the second by reaching base on an error. Brogan advanced to third on consecutive ground-outs and scored on a wild pitch, as the Vulcans took a 1-0 lead. Slippery Rock countered in the top of the third frame on an infield RBI single from senior Joe Campagna to tie the game at 1-1. In the bottom of the third, senior center fielder Ben Maudie (Jackson, Mo./Jackson) led off with a single to left field before moving to second on a passed ball. Senior second baseman Nico Marchetti (Laurel, Md./St. Vincent Pallotti) then drew a walk and senior first baseman Eric Fairman (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) was hit by pitch to load the bases. Senior catcher Kristian Webb (Whitby, Ontario/Sinclair) registered an RBI on a sacrifice fly before sophomore third baseman Louden Conte (California, Pa./California) laced a single through the left side to score Marchetti, 3-1. With one out, Brogan posted an sacrifice fly to score Fairman, as Cal U extend its lead to 4-1.
 
In the fourth inning, senior designated hitter Thomas Chisam (Williamsburg, Va./Walsingham Academy) drew a leadoff walk and junior left fielder Aaron Previsky (California, Pa./California) singled through the left side. With two outs, Fairman belted a three-run homer to center field, his ninth of the season, to stretch the advantage to 7-1. Slippery Rock cut the deficit to 7-2 in the fifth inning after scoring on a wild pitch. With one out, Fairman delivered a single to center field in the sixth inning and then moved to third on a failed pickoff attempt before scoring on a wild pitch to take an 8-2 lead.
 
Fairman finished 2-for-2 with a three-run homer, three runs scored and a stolen base. He also became only the 10th Cal U player to hit 20 career home runs. Conte went 3-for-4 with one RBI and one stolen base.
 
In Game 2, junior starter Bradyn Kail (Baltimore, Md./Loyola Blakefield) earned his team-leading eighth win of the season after working 5.0 scoreless innings (79 pitches). He allowed zero runs on three hits with one walk and two strikeouts against The Rock. Kail became the first Cal U pitcher to reach at least eight victories in a year since Randy Sturgill (2008-11) accomplished the feat in 2011. Freshman Patrick Gumto (Allison Park, Pa./Shaler) secured his first collegiate save after yielding one run (earned) on two hits with two strikeouts in 2.0 innings of relief. Slippery Rock freshman Andy McClymonds was saddled with the loss (2-3) after surrendering three runs (all earned) on five hits with two strikeouts in 4.0 innings (50 pitches).
 
The Rock left six combined runners on base over the initial three innings, including the bases loaded in the first frame. Both teams went scoreless over the first three innings of the contest before the Vulcans tallied three runs on three hits in the fourth. Marchetti launched a solo homer to left field, his fifth of the year, to take a 1-0 advantage. Fairman followed with a single to left field before Webb belted a two-run homer to right field, his third of the season, to extend the lead to 3-0. After a scoreless fifth inning, The Rock scored on a wild pitch to close the gap to 3-1 in the top of the sixth. In the bottom half, Fairman drew a leadoff walk before stealing both second and third base. Conte followed with a walk before Brogan posted an RBI single to center field to stretch the lead to 4-1. Brogan then stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Freshman shortstop Jacob McCaskey (Tarentum, Pa./Deer Lakes) recorded an RBI on a sacrifice fly to left field and Brogan also scored on a throwing error by the left fielder, 6-1.
 
Webb finished 2-for-3 with a two-run homer, while Fairman went 1-for-2 with two runs scored and two stolen bases. Conte and Previsky also both finished 1-for-2 with a walk.
 
Cal U returns to action tomorrow, Sunday, May 5, when it continues the series at Slippery Rock with first pitch set for 3 p.m.