WASHINGTON, Pa. (March 25) – The California University of Pennsylvania baseball team rallied to score eight runs with two outs in the sixth inning of Game 2 on Friday afternoon to split a doubleheader against Gannon to open Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action at Wild Things Park, suffering a 1-0 loss in Game 1 before earning an 8-1 victory in Game 2.
With the split, the Vulcans move to 14-4 overall and open divisional play with a 1-1 mark. Cal U has won 10 of the last 14 meetings against Gannon at Wild Things Park since the 2015 campaign. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights stand at 9-4 this season under first-year head coach DJ Cannon, a former player and assistant coach at Seton Hill.
In Game 2, Cal U faced a 1-0 deficit before scoring eight runs on five hits and three walks in the bottom of the sixth. The Vulcans started the rally with back-to-back singles before a sacrifice bunt advanced both runners into scoring position. Cal U then loaded the bases on a walk before Gannon recorded the second out of the inning via strikeout. Senior catcher
Justin Stewart (Butler, Pa./Butler) then drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the score and senior left fielder
Mike Landry (Jamison, Pa./La Salle) followed with an infield single on a high chopper to second base, 2-1. The Vulcans extended the lead to 4-2 when two runs scored on a wild pitch, as the ball bounced off the backstop and rolled to the far side of the first-base dugout. Following a walk, freshman center fielder
Adam Crawford (North Fayette, Pa./West Allegheny) reached on an RBI infield single deep in the hole to shortstop. Senior shortstop
Jacob McCaskey (Tarentum, Pa./Deer Lakes) followed with a three-run homer down the left field line, his fifth of the season.
McCaksey finished 3-for-4 with a three-run homer and two runs scored. Landry collected a pair of hits after entering the game in the fifth as a pinch-hitter.
The Golden Knights took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second on a solo homer by left fielder Jorge Mejia. Cal U threatened in the bottom half with runners on the corners before a pair of strikeouts ended the inning. Gannon looked to add to the lead in the top of sixth with a runner on third before a ground-out halted the inning.
Junior
Devin Foster (Davidsville, Pa./Conemaugh Township) earned a complete-game victory to improve to 4-0 this season. He yielded one run (earned) on four hits and zero walks with four strikeouts over 7.0 innings (69 pitches). Foster induced 11 ground-outs while tossing his first career complete game. Gannon starter Jacob Visha (1-1) suffered the loss after surrendering five runs (all earned) on seven hits and two walks in 5.2 innings (86 pitches).
In Game 1, senior
Dylan Brosky (East Millsboro, Pa./Brownsville) was saddled with the loss while allowing one run (unearned) on five this and two walks in 7.0 innings (94 pitches). He registered eight strikeouts on Friday and allowed only three base runners to advance into scoring position. Gannon graduate student Eric Sapp (3-0) registered a three-hit, complete-game shutout with seven strikeouts over 7.0 innings (87 pitches).
The Golden Knights mounted a two-out rally in the third with an infield single and two-base error before a line-out ended the inning. In the fourth, McCaseky reached on a walk and advanced to third on a two-base error on a failed pickoff attempt. He was forced to hold at third base on a sharp ground-out to shortstop before another ground-out halted the threat.
Gannon scored the lone run of the contest in the top of the seventh on a single through the left side that deflected off the glove of an infielder that allowed the runner to score from second. The inning ended with a caught stealing at third base on a strikeout looking.
McCaskey reached base twice (walk, single) in the loss. He has reached base in 17-consecutive games while extending his hitting streak to 11 games, the longest of his career.
The Vulcans were scheduled to continue the series with the Golden Knights tomorrow, Saturday, March 26, however the doubleheader in Erie, Pennsylvania, was postponed due to cold weather and possible snowy conditions. Cal U is now set to return to action on Tuesday, March 29, with a non-conference twinbill against Salem in Nutter Fort, West Virginia.
