ERIE, Pa. (April 16) – The California University of Pennsylvania baseball team was swept in a doubleheader at Mercyhurst in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action on Saturday afternoon, suffering a 7-0 loss in Game 1 before falling 7-3 in Game 2.
With the sweep, the Vulcans move to 22-13 this season with a 7-9 mark in league play. Mercyhurst swept the four-game season series with Cal U after scoring a combined 28 runs this weekend. Meanwhile, the Lakers improve to 22-8 overall and sit in first place in the PSAC West standings with an 11-5 record in divisional action.
In Game 2, Mercyhurst raced out to a 7-0 lead before Cal U scored a combined three runs in the fifth and sixth innings. The Vulcans then mounted a two-out rally in the seventh, as they loaded the bases and brought the game-tying run to the plate before the game ended with a strikeout.
Senior shortstop
Anthony Venezia (Pittsburgh, Pa./Shaler) collected a pair of hits, while senior third baseman
Jacob McCaskey (Tarentum, Pa./Deer Lakes) and senior catcher
Chris Brady (Arlington, Va./Washington-Liberty) both registered solo homers. McCaskey became the 12th player in program history to reach 20 career home runs.
The Lakers took a 2-0 lead on a two-out triple in the first before adding two more runs with two outs in the second, 4-0. In the fourth, Mercyhurst stretched the lead to 7-0 after four-straight batters reached safely with two outs.
Brady belted a solo homer, his first of the year, in the fifth before Cal U scored twice with two outs in the sixth. McCaskey started the rally with a solo longball, his eighth of the season, before junior designated hitter
David Lee (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) reached on a single and advanced to third on an error. Senior
Mike Landry (Jamison, Pa./La Salle) then delivered a pinch-hit RBI single before the Vulcans stranded runners on the corners.
In the seventh, freshman center fielder
Adam Crawford (North Fayette, Pa./West Allegheny) started a two-out rally with a walk before Venezia followed with a single. McCaskey then reached on a hit by pitch to load the bases before a strikeout finished the game.
Sophomore
Troy Lincavage (Ambler, Pa./Legend (Colo.)) suffered the loss after allowing four runs (all earned) on four hits and two walks in 2.0 innings (51 pitches). Freshman
Roman Gill (Hopewell, Pa./Hopewell) tossed 2.1 innings of scoreless relief (36 pitches) with three strikeouts on Saturday.
In Game 1, the Vulcans left eight runners on base, including six in scoring position, while being shutout for the third time this year. McCaskey and Brady each collected a double in the contest.
Mercyhurst took a 2-0 lead on a two-run homer by second baseman Troy Banks before scoring four runs in the second, highlighted by a two-run homer by third baseman Jack Elliott. The Lakers added to the lead in the sixth with a solo homer by Elliott, who finished second in the PSAC last year with 14 home runs.
Junior
Devin Foster (Davidsville, Pa./Conemaugh Township) was saddled with the loss after surrendering seven runs (all earned) on eight hits and three walks over 6.0 innings (116 pitches). He also tallied five strikeouts while posing the second complete game of his career.
The Vulcans return to action on Wednesday, April 20, when they travel to face Alderson Broaddus in Philippi, West Virginia, for a single nine-inning contest in non-conference play at 2 p.m.
