WASHINGTON, Pa. (Feb. 23) – The Vulcans scored nine runs in the bottom of the first inning on Wednesday afternoon to cruise to a 14-1 victory over Wheeling at Wild Things Park in non-conference play.

With the win, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team improves to 3-1 overall. Meanwhile, the Cardinals fall to 1-6 this season after opening the spring with games in Florida and North Carolina.

The Vulcans tallied 14 hits in the contest with a trio of players collecting three hits on Wednesday. Junior right fielder Patrick Brogan (Pittsburgh, Pa./Our Lady of Sacred Heart) went 3-for-4 with a solo homer, two RBI, three runs scored and one walk. Sophomore designated hitter Jayden Taitano (Lancaster, Pa./Conestoga Valley) finished 3-for-4 with one RBI and one run in his first start of the season, while sophomore center fielder Jax Miller (Pittsburgh, Pa./Avonworth) went 3-for-4 with three RBI and one run scored.

Senior shortstop Jacob McCaskey (Tarentum, Pa./Deer Lakes) belted a two-run homer and finished with three RBI, while senior second baseman Anthony Venezia (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler) totaled two hits, two RBI and three runs scored from the leadoff spot. Senior third baseman Louden Conte (California, Pa./California) also scored three runs in the victory.

The Vulcans raced out to a 9-0 lead in the first inning behind six hits, four walks and two errors. Venezia started the inning with an infield single before McCaskey belted a two-run homer, his second of the season. Miller later delivered a single with the bases loaded that scored three runs due to a throwing error from the outfield, 5-0. In his second at-bat of the inning, Venezia collected a two-run single with the bases loaded and freshman first baseman Payton Conte (California, Pa./California) followed with another two-run single, 9-0.

Cal U added to the lead in the bottom of the second with a solo homer by Brogan, his second of the year. The Cardinals countered with a solo homer by catcher Riley Cameron in the third before Brogan posted a two-out RBI double in the bottom of the inning, 11-1.

In the fifth, Miller and Taitano registered back-to-back RBI singles to stretch the lead to 13-1 before Venezia scored on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth.

Senior Dylan Brosky (East Millsboro, Pa./Brownsville) earned the victory (2-0) after allowing one run (earned) on five hits and zero walks in 6.0 innings (81 pitches). He also registered eight strikeouts on Wednesday and now has posted 15 strikeouts with no walks in 12.0 innings this year. Senior Zach Rohaley (Washington, Pa./Canon-McMillan) and junior Joshua Bogdan (Bel Air, Md./Fallston) combined to toss 3.0 scoreless innings of relief in the victory.

Wheeling starter Logan Pillars (1-1) was saddled the loss after surrendering nine runs (eight earned) on six hits and four walks in just 1.0 inning (53 pitches).

The Vulcans are scheduled to resume the home series with the Cardinals this weekend, starting on Saturday, Feb. 26, at Wild Things Park.