WASHINGTON, Pa. (March 26) – The California (PA) baseball team dropped both games of a doubleheader against Seton Hill at Wild Things Park on Sunday afternoon to wrap up its opening Pennsylvania Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action, suffering a 13-6 loss in Game 1 and a 4-0 loss in Game 2.
With the sweep, the Vulcans drop to 8-8 overall with a 0-4 mark in league play. Meanwhile, the Griffins, who are currently riding an eight-game winning streak, improve to 15-7 this season behind a 4-0 record in PSAC West contest.
In Game 2, sophomore second baseman
Santino Marra (Uniontown, Pa./Laurel Highlands) went 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI and sophomore third baseman
Nathan Meeks (New Castle, Pa./Union) notched two hits with one RBI and one run scored. Senior catcher
Justin Stewart (Butler, Pa./Butler) recorded an RBI single, while junior designated hitter
Jayden Taitano (Lancaster, Pa./Conestoga Valley) and senior right fielder
Colby Rockacy (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) each tallied an RBI.
Seton Hill raced out to a 10-0 advantage in the fifth after a two-run double. Cal rallied in the bottom of the inning with six runs which started with Meeks registering an RBI single down the left-field line followed by Marra blasting a two-run double to right center, 10-3. Stewart drove in Marra from second on a single through the left side before Taitano plated a run with a ground-out, 10-5. Rockacy scored Stewart from third on a single to right center. The Griffins extended their lead to 12-6 in the sixth with a two-run single followed by a sacrifice bunt in the seventh as they claimed a 13-6 edge.
Starting freshman pitcher
Dylan Mathiesen (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour) suffered the loss as he allowed six runs (all earned) on five hits and tallied two strikeouts in just 1.1 innings. Sophomore relief pitcher
Tanner Phillips (Dover, Ohio/Tuscarawas Valley) yielded two runs (both earned) on two hits and posted a strikeout in 1.0 inning of relief. Seton Hill starting pitcher Aidan Layton earned the win as he surrendered six runs (all earned) on 10 hits and struck out five batters in 5.0 innings.
In Game 2, junior shortstop
Brett Bobin (Wampum, Pa./Mohawk) went 2-for-3 while Marra and Taitano each tallied a hit. Sophomore left fielder
Ryan Callahan (Bexley, Ohio/Bexley) and redshirt freshman first baseman
Conor Carney (Harmony, Pa./Seneca Valley) each notched a hit in the contest.
Starting pitcher
Nathan Holmes (North Versailles, Pa./East Allegheny) held the Griffins to only one hit through the initial two innings. Seton Hill scored the first run of the game on a sacrifice fly to center field in the third inning followed by an RBI single in the fourth to give the Griffins a 2-0 lead. Over the final three innings of the game, the Vulcans were held to four total hits while Seton Hill extended its lead to 4-0 in the seventh.
Holmes was dealt the loss after surrendering two runs (both earned) on five hits in 4.0 innings. Senior relief pitcher
David Lee (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) allowed two runs (both earned) on a pair of hits while striking out two batters in 1.1 innings. Seton Hill starting pitcher Brandon Bergert collected the win, as he held Cal to five hits and recorded nine strikeouts in 6.0 innings.
The Vulcans return to action on Wednesday, March 29, as they host Alderson Broaddus at Wild Things Park in non-conference action.
