WASHINGTON, Pa. (March 5) – The Vulcans set a season high with 17 runs scored in Game 2 of a doubleheader split on Saturday afternoon at Wild Things Park in non-conference play, suffering a 5-2 loss in Game 1 before earning a 17-13 victory in Game 2.

With the split, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team moves to 6-3 this season. Meanwhile, Walsh stands at 2-3 this spring after finishing second in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) standings in 2021.

In Game 2, the Vulcans and Cavaliers combined for 30 runs scored on 30 hits, 10 walks and seven errors. The Vulcans were lasted involved in a 30-run contest during the 2019 campaign when they posted a 22-9 win at Gannon on April 27. The Vulcans scored at least three runs in four separate innings against the Cavaliers in Game 2.

Senior first baseman Jacob McCaskey (Tarentum, Pa./Deer Lakes) went 3-for-4 with three RBI and four runs scored, while senior shortstop Anthony Venezia (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler) finished 3-for-5 with three runs scored. Senior right fielder Patrick Brogan (Pittsburgh, Pa./Our Lady of the Sacred Heart) finished 2-for-3 with a three-run homer, five RBI and three runs scored, while sophomore designated hitter Jayden Taitano (Lancaster, Pa./Conestoga Valley) went 2-for-5 with a solo homer and three RBI. Redshirt freshman second baseman Santino Marra (Uniontown, Pa./Laurel Highlands) scored three runs in the victory.

Walsh scored on a sacrifice fly in the top of the first before Cal U answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Venezia started the inning with a single and scored from second on an RBI single by McCaskey. Marra then scored on an error before Brogan followed with a sacrifice fly. Senior third baseman Louden Conte (California, Pa./California) belted a solo homer, his third of the season, 4-1. The Vulcans then scored three runs in the bottom of the third after loading the bases to stretch the lead to 7-1. Cal U scored runs on a pair of ground-outs and a fielding error in the third.

The Cavaliers scored one run in the fourth before batting around in the bottom of the inning, scoring six runs on six hits and one error. Senior catcher Justin Stewart (Butler, Pa./Butler) scored from second on a throwing error before McCaskey later followed with a two-run triple, 10-1. Brogan and freshman center fielder Adam Crawford (North Fayette, Pa./West Allegheny) delivered back-to-back RBI doubles before Walsh made a pitching change. Taitano added an RBI double to extend the lead to 13-2.

In the fifth, Walsh scored three runs behind a two-run homer by designated hitter Jarret Lyon. The Vulcans countered with four runs in the bottom of the inning, 17-5. Brogan registered a three-run homer, his fifth of the year, before Taitano later delivered his first career homer with two outs.

The Cavaliers scored seven runs on four hits, three walks and one error in the top of the sixth off a pair of relief pitchers. Walsh cut the deficit to 17-13 on a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning before redshirt freshman Aidan Ruiz (Perry Hall, Md./The John Carroll School) struck out the side in the order in the eighth. Ruiz later forced the Cavaliers to strand the bases loaded in the top of the ninth.

Junior Devin Foster (Davidsville, Pa./Conemaugh Township) earned the win to improve to 2-0 this season while making his first start of the year. He allowed five runs (four earned) on 10 hits and set a career high with six strikeouts over 5.0 innings (68 pitches). Ruiz registered the save after tossing 3.0 innings (68 pitches) of relief, surrendering one run (earned) on one hit and four walks.

In Game 1, Walsh took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth on an RBI triple before scoring two unearned runs in the sixth. The Vulcans cut the deficit to 3-1 in the bottom of the inning when McCaskey delivered a two-out double to score senior center fielder Mike Landry (Jamison, Pa./La Salle), who started the inning with a double.

The Cavaliers added a pair of insurance runs in the top of the ninth on RBI singles before stranding runners on the corners. In the bottom of the inning, McCaskey led off with a single and scored on a sacrifice fly following a double by Brogan.

McCaskey finished 2-for-4 with one RBI and one run scored, while Brogan and Marra both collected two hits in the loss.

Sophomore Jackson Miller (Uniontown, Pa./Albert Gallatin) suffered the loss to fall to 2-1 this year. He allowed one run (earned) on four hits and one walk before leaving after 5.0 innings (64 pitches) due to injury.

Cal U returns to action with five games during its annual trip to Wilson, North Carolina, starting on Wednesday, March 9, against Barton (N.C.) at 5 p.m.