WASHINGTON, Pa. (April 1) – The Vulcans posted a split of doubleheader against Gannon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action at Wild Things Park on Saturday afternoon, suffering a 3-2 loss in Game 1 before earning a 4-3 walk-off victory in Game 2.
With the split, the California (PA) baseball team moves to 10-9 overall with a 1-5 mark in conference action. Meanwhile, the Golden Knights, who were picked to finish third in the preseason PSAC West poll, move to 8-12 this season behind a 3-3 mark in league play.
In Game 2, sophomore left fielder
Ryan Callahan (Bexley, Ohio/Bexley) blasted a walk-off solo home run over the left-field fence in the bottom of the seventh to give the Vulcans the 4-3 victory. Prior to the solo home run that ended the game, Gannon struck first with a two-run homer down the left-field line in the first inning. Sophomore first baseman
Payton Conte (California, Pa./California) trimmed the deficit to 2-1 after scoring on a throwing error followed by redshirt freshman designated hitter
Conor Carney (Harmony, Pa./Seneca Valley) bringing in senior right fielder
Colby Rockacy (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) on a ground-out to the pitcher, 2-2. A fielding error by the shortstop helped give the Vulcans a 3-2 advantage as junior shortstop
Brett Bobin (Wampum, Pa./Mohawk) scored. In the top of the seventh, a bases-loaded walk tied the game at 3-3.
Senior catcher
Justin Stewart (Butler, Pa./Butler) and freshman right fielder
Jake Walker (West Mifflin, Pa./West Mifflin) each went 2-for-3, while sophomore third baseman
Nathan Meeks (New Castle, Pa./Union) recorded a hit and an RBI. Callahan launched his third home run of the season and collected his team-leading 19th RBI during the contest. Redshirt sophomore starting pitcher
Jackson Miller (Uniontown, Pa./Albert Gallatin) was dealt a no-decision, as he allowed two runs (both earned) on three hits and tallied two strikeouts in 5.0 innings. Senior
David Lee (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) collected the win as he moved to 2-0 this year. Lee surrendered one run (unearned) with no hits and a pair of strikeouts in 1.0 inning of relief. Gannon relief pitcher Evan Harrison suffered the loss after yielding one run (earned) on three hits in 2.2 innings.
In the first inning of Game 1, the Vulcans scored a pair of runs to gain an early 2-0 advantage. After Meeks doubled down the left-field line, sophomore second baseman
Santino Marra (Uniontown, Pa./Laurel Highlands) drove him in with a single through the left side. Following a single up the middle by Stewart, Conte notched a double down the right-field line to stretch the edge to 2-0. Gannon countered back and scored a run on an RBI-single through the right side in the fourth, 2-1. The Golden Knights tied the game at 2-2 in the fifth following an RBI single to left field before a walk with the bases loaded gave Gannon a 3-2 lead. The Vulcans were held hitless in the remaining five innings.
Conte finished the game going 1-for-2 with an RBI and one walk. Marra went 1-for-3 with an RBI and Stewart registered a hit in three at-bats with a run scored.
Junior relief pitcher
Justin Naylor (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) suffered the loss while allowing a run (earned) on one hit and walked a batter. Starting sophomore pitcher
Roman Gill (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell) was dealt a no-decision as he allowed two runs (both earned) on six hits with two strikeouts in 4.1 innings. Gannon starting pitcher Kevin Schott earned the win after yielding two runs (both earned) on five hits in a complete-game performance.
Cal returns to action tomorrow, Sunday, April 2, as it travels to Erie, Pennsylvania, to conclude its weekend series versus Gannon with a PSAC West doubleheader at 1 p.m.
