WASHINGTON, Pa. (Feb. 20) – The California University of Pennsylvania baseball team closed out its season-opening series against Ohio Dominican with a 5-3 loss on Sunday afternoon in non-conference action at Wild Things Park.

With the loss, the Vulcans fall to 2-1 on the year after sweeping the doubleheader against the Panthers on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Ohio Dominican improves to 1-2 on the season following a 28-win campaign last spring .

Senior Jacob McCaskey (Tarentum, Pa./Deer Lakes) took a no-decision after throwing 4.0 scoreless innings (79 pitches) in his season debut on the mound. He scattered one hit and five walks while recording five strikeouts on Sunday. Freshman Jake Woolf (Beavercreek, Ohio/Beavercreek) was saddled with the loss after allowing three runs (all earned) on three hits and one walk in his college debut. Redshirt freshman Aidan Ruiz (Perry Hall, Md./The John Carroll School) tossed 2.0 scoreless innings of relief after entering the game with the bases loaded in the seventh.

Cal U took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second on a pair of hits and two walks. The Vulcans converted a double-steal with senior right fielder Patrick Brogan (Pittsburgh, Pa./Our Lady of the Sacred Hart) scoring on the play, 1-0. With runners on the corners, senior center fielder Mike Landry (Jamison, Pa./La Salle) collected an RBI single on a hit-and-run to extend the lead to 2-0.

Ohio Dominican cut the deficit to 2-1 in the top of the fifth with back-to-back singles following a walk before scoring three runs in the top of the sixth. The Panthers tallied three extra-base hits and one walk in the inning before leaving runners in scoring position, 4-2. Cal U answered in the bottom of the sixth with an RBI single by senior shortstop Anthony Venezia (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler) that scored Landry from second.

The Panthers threatened to add insurance runs in the seventh by loading the bases before Ruiz entered and forced Ohio Dominican to leave the bases loaded. In the ninth, Ohio Dominican extended the lead to 5-3 before Cal U mounted a two-out threat in the bottom of the inning. The Vulcans loaded the bases on a hit by pitch, single and walk with two outs before the Panthers ened the game with a called third strike.

McCaskey posted a pair of hits in the loss, while senior third baseman Louden Conte (California, Pa./California) and redshirt freshman Santino Marra (Uniontown, Pa./Laurel Highlands) both drew two walks.

Cal U returns to action on Friday, Feb. 25, as it begins a three-game series against Wheeling at Wild Things Park with first pitch at 1 p.m.