WASHINGTON, Pa. (Feb. 26) – The California University of Pennsylvania baseball team benefited from a stellar pitching performance and capitalized on timely hitting – scoring nine runs with two outs – to open the season with a 12-1 victory against Wheeling at Wild Things Park on Friday afternoon.

With the win, the Vulcans start the year with a 1-0 mark while playing their first contest since March 11, 2020. Cal U is the lone Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) school scheduled to open the season with play in the month of February. Meanwhile, the Cardinals open the campaign with a 0-1 record after being chosen third in the preseason Mountain East Conference (MEC) North Division poll.

Senior Nick Riggle (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) set a career high with nine strikeouts while tossing 6.0 scoreless innings (81 pitches). He scattered five hits and issued a pair of walks while making the fourth opening day start of his career. Riggle tallied at least one strikeout in each of his six innings on Friday and held the Cardinals scoreless despite allowing a base runner in every inning.

Cal U stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the second before taking a 2-0 lead in the third on a bases-loaded walk and a sacrifice fly. The Vulcans added to the lead by scoring three runs with two outs in the bottom of the sixth, 5-0. Senior third baseman Louden Conte (California, Pa./California) lined an RBI double down the left-field line and scored when junior right fielder Patrick Brogan (Pittsburgh, Pa./Our Lady of the Sacred Heart) reached on a three-base error.

In the seventh, junior second baseman Anthony Venezia (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler) collected an RBI single and later scored on a two-out single by Conte. Cal U then loaded the bases on a walk and a fielding error before junior shortstop Jacob McCaskey (Tarentum, Pa./Deer Lakes) registered a two-run single through the left side to stretch the lead to 9-0.

The Cardinals avoided the shutout with one run in the top of the eighth before the Vulcans responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning, 12-1. Brogan tallied a two-run single with the bases loaded and junior Nick Serafino (McDonald, Pa./Canon-McMillan) followed with an RBI single.

Conte reached base five times in six plate appearances, finishing 2-for-3 with two RBI, four runs scored, two walks and one hit by pitch. Venezia collected a career-high three hits, one RBI, three runs scored, one walk and two stolen bases, while McCaskey finished 3-for-4 with two RBI and two walks. Brogan added two hits, two RBI and two runs scored in the victory.

Senior Richie Serignese (New Castle, Pa./Neshannock) yielded one run (earned) and posted a pair of strikeouts in 2.0 innings of relief and junior Patrick Gumto (Allison Park, Pa./Shaler) tossed a scoreless ninth inning.

Wheeling starter Logan Pillars (0-1) was saddled with the loss after allowing two runs (both earned) on three hits and five walks in 2.1 innings (62 pitches).

The Vulcans continue their season-opening series with the Cardinals at Wild Things Park tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 27, at 1 p.m.