TUCSON, Ariz. (Feb. 19) – The California University of Pennsylvania softball team claimed a split on Saturday during the second day of the D2 Cactus Classic, capturing a 5-2 victory over Western New Mexico before suffering a 6-4 loss against Colorado Mesa.

With the split, the Vulcans move to 1-3 overall while opening the year in Arizona. Cal U has already played teams from three different conferences on its season-opening trip.

Against Western New Mexico (3-8), senior Kelsey Barron (La Salle, Mich./St. Mary Catholic Central) earned her first win of the season following 4.0 scoreless innings of relief. She scattered just one hit and issued two walks while in the circle.

The Mustangs manufactured one run in the bottom of the first following a leadoff walk before the Vulcans took a 2-1 lead in the third. Senior right fielder Kaitlyn Corle (Hopewell, Pa./Northern Bedford) drew a leadoff walk before freshman Caleigh Rister (Bucyrus, Ohio/Bucyrus), who started the game at pitcher, registered a triple following a sacrifice bunt. Senior catcher Brooke Wilson (Coraopolis, Pa./West Allegheny) later delivered a two-out RBI double.

WNMU tied the game at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth before Barron entered the circle with no outs and forced the Mustangs to strand runners on the corners. In the fifth, Corle and freshman left fielder Carlena Fiorilli (Mount Vernon, Ohio/Mount Vernon) opened the inning with a single and walk before Rister followed with a go-ahead RBI double. Fiorilli then scored on a sacrifice fly to extend the lead to 4-2. The Vulcans added an insurance run in the sixth on an RBI single by sophomore Charity Henderson (Scottdale, Pa./Southmoreland) before leaving the bases loaded.

Rister went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored from the leadoff spot. Wilson added two hits and one RBI, while Corle scored twice in the victory.

Versus defending-Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) Champion Colorado Mesa (4-4), freshman Kaitlyn Achtermeier (Gilford, Ontario/Bill Crothers) was saddled with the loss after yielding three runs (two earned) on five hits in 2.0 innings of relief. Sophomore Kaitlyn Leary (Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty) scattered two hits while working 2.1 innings of scoreless relief on Saturday.

The Vulcans took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first on an RBI fielder's choice and a two-out RBI single by Henderson before leaving runners on second and third. Cal U added another run on a fielder's choice in the second before Colorado Mesa answered in the top of the third with a game-tying, three-run homer by designated player Ellie Smith – the 2021 RMAC Player of the Year. The Vulcans reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by sophomore Salena Jaquay (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin), 4-3.

In the fourth, the Mavericks seized a 5-4 lead on a two-run homer by center fielder Brandi Haller. Colorado Mesa added to the lead with a two-out RBI single in the fifth before Leary entered the circle.

Henderson finished the game 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored, while Wilson was credited with a pair of RBI.

Cal U concludes its trip tomorrow, Sunday, Feb. 20, when it faces Colorado Christian and Western New Mexico, starting at 11 a.m. EST.