WASHINGTON, Pa. (Feb. 19) – Sophomore shortstop Nathan Meeks (New Castle, Pa./Union) belted a pair of homers on Sunday afternoon, as the California (PA) baseball team rolled to a 15-5 win over Wheeling at Wild Things Park in non-conference play.

With the victory, the Vulcans improve to 3-0 this season while facing teams from three different conferences during the season-opening weekend. Cal scored at least 12 runs in all three games, as it out-scored its opponents by a plus-30 margin (48-18). Meanwhile, the Cardinals fall to 2-1 this spring after being tabbed third in the preseason Mountain East Conference (MEC) North Division poll.

Meeks went 3-for-4 with two homers, four RBI, three runs scored and one hit by pitch on Sunday. He finished the weekend going a combined 8-for-16 with six runs scored after totaling 15 at-bats as a redshirt freshman in 2022.

Sophomore second baseman Santino Marra (Uniontown, Pa./Laurel Highlands) finished 2-for-4 with three RBI, one run scored and two walks, while senior catcher Justin Stewart (Butler, Pa./Butler) went 2-for-4 with one RBI, three runs scored and one walk. Sophomore center fielder Adam Crawford (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny) posted two hits, two RBI and one run scored, while junior third baseman Brett Bobin (Wampum, Pa./Mohawk) – a converted pitcher – and senior right fielder Colby Rockacy (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) both collected two hits and two runs scored.

Sophomore starter Jaret Muckley (Green, Ohio/Green) earned the win after tying his career high of 6.0 innings pitched (82 pitches). He allowed three runs (two earned) while scattering two hits and three walks, plus registered three strikeouts, on Sunday. The Vulcans then closed the game with a trio of relievers with each pitcher working 1.0 inning.

The Vulcans took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second on a two-run homer by Meeks to left center, the first of his career. In the third, Wheeling cut the deficit to 2-1 on a two-out triple before Cal responded with five runs in the bottom of the inning. The Vulcans started the inning with back-to-back singles before Rockacy scored from second on an RBI single up the middle by Marra, 3-1. Sophomore left fielder Ryan Callahan (Bexley, Ohio/Bexley) then delivered a two-run double down the left-field line and Stewart later collected an RBI single to right field. Stewart eventually scored on a wild pitch with two outs in the inning.

Wheeling was retired in order in the fourth before Cal added two runs on three hits in the bottom of the inning, 9-1. Bobin opening the fourth with a double to right center and advanced to third on a bunt single by Rockacy. Bobin then scored on a ground-out before Marra lined an RBI triple to right field to score Rockacy. The Cardinals benefited from a pair of errors in the fifth inning to score one run before leaving runners on the corners, 9-2. In the bottom of the fifth, Cal countered with four runs on four hits to stretch the lead to 13-2. Stewart drew a leadoff walk before Meeks belted a two-run homer to left field, his second of the game. Following a pitching change, the Vulcans loaded the bases on a trio of singles before scoring on back-to-back walks with the bases loaded.

Muckley collected a pair of called third strikes in the sixth between a solo homer by first baseman Spencer Craig. Cal responded with a pair of runs on just one hit in the bottom of the inning, 15-3. Stewart led off the inning with a double and later scored on a hit by pitch with the bases loaded before the Vulcans scored their final run of the game on a sacrifice fly. The Cardinals later mounted a two-out rally in the top of the eighth, scoring two runs after four-straight batters reached safely.

Wheeling starter Kenny Jinks (0-1) suffered the loss after surrendering eight runs (all earned) on eight hits over 3.0 innings (56 pitches).

The Vulcans return to action next weekend with a four-game home series against Carson-Newman (Tenn.) of the South Atlantic Conference (SAC) at Wild Things Park, starting on Friday, Feb. 24.