CALIFORNIA (April 13) – Sophomore right fielder Charity Henderson (Scottdale, Pa./Southmoreland) delivered a two-run, walk-off homer with two outs in Game 2 at Lilley Field on Wednesday afternoon, as the California University of Pennsylvania softball team swept a doubleheader against Clarion in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action, winning 10-0 and 5-4.

With the sweep, the Vulcans improve to 14-7 overall with a 4-0 record in league action. Cal U and Clarion were both playing for the first time since April 2. Meanwhile, the Golden Eagles fall to 1-24 this season behind a 0-4 mark in conference play.

In Game 2, Cal U earned its third walk-off victory of the season with the previous two occurring on back-to-back days during THE Spring Games in Florida. The Vulcans also recorded its first win on a walk-off homer in five years.

The Vulcans trailed 4-2 entering the bottom of the seventh before mounting the game-winning rally with two outs. Senior catcher Brooke Wilson (Coraopolis, Pa./West Allegheny) started the rally with a double before freshman shortstop Kaitlyn Achtermeier (Gilford, Ontario/Bill Crothers) followed with an opposite-field RBI double, 4-3. Henderson then reentered the game and belted the first pitch of the at-bat over the left-field wall for the walk-off home run, her first of the season.

Freshman Caleigh Rister (Bucyrus, Ohio/Bucyrus) earned the victory to improve to 9-2 this season. She scattered five hits and issued zero walks over 3.2 innings of scoreless relief (46 pitches) with four strikeouts. Rister forced the Golden Eagles to leave six runners on base, including four in scoring position. The Ohio native also went 2-for-4 from the leadoff spot for her team-leading ninth multi-hit game of the season.

Clarion took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first after collecting four-straight hits with two outs before Cal U made a pitching change. Junior Ellie Lobdell (Warren, Pa./Warren) entered the circle and forced the Golden Eagles to strand runners on the corners after recording a strikeout to end the inning. In the fourth, Clarion scored a pair of runs following a two-out throwing error to extend the lead to 4-0.

The Vulcans threatened with a pair of runners in scoring position in the fifth before Wilson roped a hard liner to third base and a ground-out ended the inning. Cal U cut the deficit to 4-2 in the bottom of the sixth on a two-run homer by sophomore third baseman Britney Wilson (Coraopolis, Pa./West Allegheny), her fourth of the year.

Clarion looked to counter with a two-out rally in the seventh with back-to-back singles before a strikeout ended the inning.

In Game 1, the Vulcans rolled to a 10-0 run-rule victory after scoring eight runs on just two hits in the bottom of the first. Cal U finished the contest with a total of five hits while drawing a combined 11 walks.

Rister and freshman left fielder Carlena Fiorilli (Mount Vernon, Ohio/Mount Vernon) both drew three walks, while Rister and sophomore second baseman Salena Jaquay (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) each scored two runs. Britney Wilson totaled three RBI and junior center fielder Mackenzie Carson (Tucson, Ariz./Cienega) finished with a pair of RBI.

With the bases loaded following three walks, Henderson delivered an RBI single before Britney Wilson followed with a three-run triple, 4-0. The Vulcans later took advantage of two fielding errors that led to four unearned runs. In the second, Carson belted a two-run double to left center to extend the lead to 10-0.

Clarion attempted to avoid the shutout in the top of the fifth with runners on the corners. Playing first base, Rister made a catch in foul territory for the second out with her momentum taking her into shallow right field. She then turned and fired the ball to Brooke Wilson at home and she tagged the runner attempting to score on the play for the final out of the game.

Rister started the game in the circle and was credited with the win after allowing just one hit in 3.0 scoreless innings (33 pitches). Lobdell scattered three hits while tossing 2.0 scoreless innings of relief in the victory.

The Vulcans return to action on Friday, April 15, when they travel to face Mercyhurst for a doubleheader in Erie, Pennsylvania, starting at 2:30 p.m.