WASHINGTON, Pa. (April 24) – The Vulcans were limited to only a combined three runs on Saturday afternoon while dropping both games of a doubleheader against Clarion at Wild Things Park in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action, suffering a 3-1 loss in Game 1 and falling by a 3-2 count in Game 2.

With the losses, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team falls to 20-12 overall with an 11-9 record in league play. The Vulcans dropped the divisional series with the Golden Eagles for only the third time since the 2000 campaign. Meanwhile, Clarion improves to 7-16 this season behind a 5-9 mark in PSAC West action.

In Game 1, the Golden Eagles scored one run in three different innings and finished the game with 14 runners left on base, including nine in scoring position. Clarion started the game with a single and double before junior Zach Rohaley (Washington, Pa./Canon-McMillan) recorded back-to-back strikeouts and a fly-out to prevent a run from scoring. In the second, the Golden Eagles loaded the bases with one out before a strikeout and fly-out kept the game scoreless.

Clarion took a 1-0 lead in the third on a solo homer by catcher Thomas Lavin, his third homer of the weekend and seventh of the year. The Golden Eagles added a run in the top of the fourth and loaded the bases with two outs before freshman Justin Naylor (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) induced a ground-out to the first batter he faced. Cal U trimmed the deficit to 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth with a solo homer by senior third baseman Louden Conte (California, Pa./California), his third of the season.

The Golden Eagles stranded runners on second and third in the sixth before adding an insurance run in the seventh on a two-out RBI single.

Rohaley (2-4) suffered the loss after allowing two runs (both earned) on eight hits and two walks while tallying six strikeouts in 3.2 innings (77 pitches). Naylor tossed 1.1 inning of scoreless relief while making his first appearance in nearly a month.

Conte finished 2-for-3 with a solo homer, as the Vulcans were limited to four hits in the contest.

In Game 2, both teams scored twice in the first inning before Clarion scored the eventual game-winning run in the fifth. Freshman Jackson Miller (Uniontown, Pa./Albert Gallatin) was saddled with the loss after yielding three runs (all earned) on six hits and two walks over 4.2 innings (74 pitches). He set a season high with five strikeouts in his fourth start of the spring. Junior Patrick Gumto (Allison Park, Pa./Shaler) worked 2.1 innings of scoreless relief to lower his season ERA to 2.16 while making his league-leading 17th appearance.

The Golden Eagles took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-run double before the Vulcans tied the score on a two-run homer by junior second baseman Jacob McCaskey (Tarentum, Pa./Deer Lakes), his team-leading seventh of the season. He now leads the PSAC this spring with 42 RBI.

Each team threatened with a runner on third base in the third inning before Clarion took a 3-2 lead in the fifth on a sacrifice fly. Gumto then entered the game and recorded a strikeout to strand a possible insurance run at third base. The Vulcans looked to respond in the sixth with runners on first and second with one out before a pop-up and fly-out halted the threat.

Cal U returns to action next weekend with a four-game series against nationally-ranked and PSAC West-leading Seton Hill, beginning with a home doubleheader on Friday, April 30, at 1 p.m.