WASHINGTON, Pa. (March 29) – The Vulcans used four different pitchers to record a 7-0 shutout victory over Alderson Broaddus on Wednesday afternoon in non-conference play at Wild Things Park.

With the win, the California (PA) baseball team improves to 9-8 overall behind a 5-4 mark at home. Meanwhile, the Battlers fall to 8-15 this season while playing their third game against a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) member this spring.

Sophomore starter Jaret Muckley (Green, Ohio/Green) earned the win to improve to 3-1 this season while making his first start in over three weeks. He scattered three hits and issued three walks over 6.0 scoreless innings (65 pitches) on Wednesday. The Vulcans then utilized a trio of relievers that each worked 1.0 scoreless inning with senior Joshua Bogdan (Bel Air, Md./Fallston) recording a pair of strikeouts in the eighth.

The Battlers threatened in the top of the first by starting the game with back-to-back singles before a double play and ground-out ended the inning. AB again had runners on first and second in the second inning before the next two batters were retired in order. The Vulcans took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second on a two-run homer by senior right fielder Colby Rockacy (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks), his team-leading fourth of the season, down the left-field line after senior designated hitter Justin Stewart (Butler, Pa./Butler) opened the inning with a four-pitch walk. In the third, Cal stranded runners on second and third following back-to-back walks and a double steal with one out.

The Vulcans added to the lead in the fourth on an RBI single through the left side by junior catcher Jayden Taitano (Lancaster, Pa./Conestoga Valley) that scored Rockacy from second after he reached on a double. Taitano later scored in the inning on a two-out error after he advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and wild pitch. Cal again capitalized on a two-out error in the sixth inning when sophomore third baseman Nathan Meeks (New Castle, Pa./Union) registered an RBI double down the left-field line to score sophomore pinch-runner Adam Crawford (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny) from first base, 5-0.

In the seventh, Cal scored a pair of runs on three hits before leaving a pair of runners in scoring position. Stewart led off the inning with a walk and stole second before sophomore first baseman Payton Conte (California, Pa./California) collected an RBI double down the left-field line. Taitano later followed with an RBI single through the side to stretch the lead to 7-0.

Rockacy finished 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and two runs scored, while Taitano went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored. Conte and Meeks both collected two hits and one RBI, while Stewart scored twice after drawing a pair of walks.

Cal returns to PSAC West play this weekend with a four-game series against Gannon, starting with a home doubleheader at Wild Things Park on Saturday, April 1, at 1 p.m.