WILSON, N.C. (March 10) – Freshmen Roman Gill (Hopewell, Pa./Hopewell) and Tanner Phillips (Dover, Ohio/Tuscarawas Valley) combined for a nine-inning, complete-game shutout on Thursday afternoon, as the Vulcans earned a 6-0 victory against Saint Rose (N.Y.) at Fleming Stadium.

With the win, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team improves to 8-3 this season while posting its third shutout of the campaign. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights fall to 5-8 overall while playing their eighth game this spring against a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) opponent.

Gill tossed 6.0 scoreless innings while making his first career start on Thursday. He scattered five hits and issued three walks against Saint Rose while registering eight strikeouts. Gill previously logged 3.0 innings with a pair of strikeouts over three relief appearances this year. Phillips recorded the save in North Carolina after working 3.0 shutout innings of relief. He allowed two hits and one walk while posting three strikeouts versus the Golden Knights. Phillips entered the game with a combined 1.2 innings of work in three relief appearances this season.

Saint Rose looked to take an early lead after loading the bases with two outs in the second before a strikeout by Gill ended the inning. The Vulcans then took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third on a ground-out that scored senior catcher Justin Stewart (Butler, Pa./Butler), who started the inning with a double.

Gill forced the Golden Knights to strand a runner in scoring position in three-straight innings, including runners on the corners in the sixth. Cal U stretched the lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the sixth when freshman first baseman Payton Conte (California, Pa./California), who led off with a double, scored on a single by senior designated hitter Jacob McCaskey (Tarentum, Pa./Deer Lakes).

Phillips retired Saint Rose in order in the seventh before Conte delivered a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the inning, 3-0. The Vulcans broke open the contest in the eighth, scoring three runs on three singles and three walks off a trio of relief pitchers. Junior left fielder David Lee (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) drew a bases-loaded walk before Cal U added one run on a sacrifice fly. Senior shortstop Anthony Venezia (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler) then collected an RBI single and Conte drew a walk to load the bases. Following the second pitching change of the inning, Saint Rose retired the next two batters in order to end the threat.

The Golden Knights nearly avoided the shutout in the ninth. With runners on first and second, the Saint Rose third baseman lined a single to right field and senior Patrick Brogan (Pittsburgh, Pa./Our Lady of the Sacred Heart) threw out the lead runner at home for his second outfield assist of the season. Phillips then registered a strikeout for the final out of the game.

Conte finished 2-for-4 with one RBI, one run scored and one walk, while Venezia reached base three times (two singles, walk) from the leadoff spot. Stewart scored twice in the victory.

Saint Rose starter Anthony Amoroso (2-2) suffered the loss after surrendering three runs (all earned) on six hits with eight strikeouts over 6.1 innings.

The Vulcans continue play in North Carolina tomorrow, Friday, March 11, against Alderson Broaddus at 12 p.m.