WASHINGTON, Pa. (March 1) – The Vulcans secured a doubleheader sweep against Walsh (Ohio) at Wild Things Park on Sunday afternoon, winning 12-8 and 4-3, highlighted by a walk-off RBI single in extra innings from junior first baseman Bill Hitman (Norristown, Pa./Pope John Paul II) in Game 2.
 
With the victories, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team improves to 4-1 overall after playing all five games at home this year. Meanwhile, Walsh drops to 2-3 this season after being selected to finish third in the preseason Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Eastern Division poll.
 
In Game 2, the Vulcans entered the bottom of the eighth tied at 3-3 and junior third baseman Louden Conte (California, Pa./California) started the frame by being hit by a pitch. Sophomore center fielder Patrick Brogan (Pittsburgh, Pa./Our Lady of the Sacred Heart) then delivered a single up the middle before senior designated hitter Corey Fogle (Connellsville, Pa./Connellsville) reached base on a throwing error after laying down a sacrifice bunt to load the bases. After a pitching change, Hitman laced an RBI single through the left side to claim the walk-off victory in extra innings, 4-3.
 
Cal U took the lead in the bottom of the first after sophomore catcher Justin Stewart (Butler, Pa./Butler) led off the inning by being hit by a pitch before advancing to third on a stolen base and a throwing error. Conte followed with an infield single and moved to second on a throwing error, which allowed Stewart to score. After a fly-out to right-center, Conte advanced to third before Fogle singled to third base. Hitman then registered an RBI on a fielder's choice to extend the advantage, 2-0. Walsh answered in the top of the second with a two-run homer to left field by senior Jarret Lyon to tie the contest at 2-2.
 
After a scoreless third inning, the Vulcans retired the Cavaliers in order in the fourth before taking the lead in the bottom of the frame. Sophomore shortstop Jacob McCaskey (Tarentum,Pa./Deer Lakes) reached on a fielder's choice before sophomore left fielder Nick Serafino (McDonald, Pa./Canon-McMillan) singled up the middle to put runners on the corners. With two outs, McCaskey scored from third during a rundown at second base to give Cal U a 3-2 edge.
 
In the top of the seventh, the Cavaliers tied the game at 3-3 on a solo homer to left field from junior Jacob Beachy with two outs to force the game into extra innings. Walsh stranded the go-ahead run on third base in the top of the eighth.
 
Hitman went 1-for-3 with two RBI and one walk, while Conte also finished 1-for-3 with one RBI, two runs scored and one hit by pitch.
 
Junior Richie Serignese (New Castle, Pa./Neshannock) earned the win (1-0) after tossing 1.0 inning of scoreless relief with one strikeout. Sophomore Zach Rohaley (Washington, Pa./Canon-McMillan) took the no-decision after working 7.0 innings (91 pitches) with three runs on three hits behind five strikeouts and a pair of walks. Redshirt sophomore Josh Ferry (0-1) suffered the loss after surrendering one run on one hit with two strikeouts in 1.0 inning of relief. Junior Drew Saunier also cliamed a no-decision after yielding three runs (two earned) on five hits with two walks and one strikeout over 6.0 innings (75 pitches).
 
In Game 1, Cal U featured five players that posted a multi-hit contest, including three-hit games by Stewart and redshirt freshman right fielder David Lee (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson). Stewart finished 3-for-5 with two RBI, two runs scored and one stolen base, while Lee went 3-for-4 with four RBI. McCaskey finished 2-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored, while Brogan went 2-for-3 with one RBI and two runs scored. Serafino also went 2-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored.
 
The Vulcans tallied four runs in the bottom of the first inning after Stewart delivered a leadoff triple to right-center. Conte then was hit by a pitch before Brogan laced an RBI single through the left side, 1-0. Conte scored from third on a double play before McCaskey recorded a two-out RBI single up the middle to build a 3-0 advantage. Serafino followed with another single and Lee registered an RBI single to score McCaskey and stretch the lead to 4-0. After a scoreless second and third frame, Walsh cut into the deficit with an RBI single through the left side, 4-1. In the fifth, the Cavaliers ripped an RBI double down the left-field line to close the gap to 4-2.
 
Cal U answered in the bottom of the fifth by batting around the order and scoring six runs on four hits to take a 10-2 advantage. Brogan doubled to right field to start the inning before Fogle drew a walk and Hitman reached on a fielder's choice. With the bases loaded, McCaskey reached on a fielding error to score Brogan before Serafino laced an RBI single to center field. Following a pitching change, Lee posted a single through the right side to score Hitman before Stewart delivered a two-run single and stole second base. Conte then reached on a throwing error that scored Stewart.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, Lee extend the lead to 12-2 on a two-run double down the left-field line after redshirt freshman Alex Ligeros (Munhall, Pa./Steel Valley) and Hitman reached base on singles. Walsh brought across six runs on five hits in the top of the seventh to close the gap to 12-8, highlighted by three-run double from junior Joey Holiga and a two-run homer by senior Brenden Spaulding.
 
Senior Nick Riggle (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) improved to 2-0 this season after allowing two runs on five hits with two strikeouts and no walks over 5.0 innings (81 pitches). Sophomore Patrick Gumto (Allison Park, Pa./Shaler) also tossed 1.0 scoreless inning of relief with one strikeout, his third appearance this year without allowing a run. Senior Hyatt Shenefield was saddled with the loss (1-1) after surrendering nine runs (eight earned) on 10 hits with one walk and three strikeouts in 4.0 innings (87 pitches).
 
Cal U returns to action tomorrow, Monday, March 2, when it closes out the series versus Walsh at Wild Things Park in Washington, Pennsylvania, starting at 11 a.m.