CALIFORNIA (April 11) – The Vulcans dropped a pair of one-run games while being swept in a twinbill by Pitt-Johnstown on Tuesday afternoon at Lilley Field in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action, suffering an 8-7 loss in Game 1 before falling by a 4-3 margin in Game 2.

With the sweep, the California (PA) softball team falls to 14-18 this season with a 7-9 mark in league play. The Vulcans currently sit sixth in the PSAC West standings at the midway point of their conference schedule. Meanwhile, the Mountain Cats improve to 9-21 overall behind a 4-14 record in divisional play.

In Game 2, the Vulcans held a 3-2 lead entering the top of the seventh before the Mountain Cats tied the score on a solo homer and later took the lead on a triple. Freshman Kailey Larcinese (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) suffered the loss after allowing two runs (both earned) on two hits and two walks in 1.1 innings of relief. Junior starter Alyssa Rose (Madison, Ohio/Madison) took a no-decision while setting a season high with 10 strikeouts in 5.2 innings (130 pitches). She yielded two runs (both earned) on seven hits and three walks on Tuesday.

The initial two hitters of the game reached for UPJ in the first inning before Rose struck out the next three batters in order. The Vulcans then stranded runners on the corners in the bottom of the inning before the Mountain Cats took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third. UPJ added to its lead in the fifth with a two-out solo homer by catcher Julia Mooney before stranding the bases loaded in the sixth.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Vulcans took a 3-2 lead on a three-run homer by freshman first baseman Madison Lester (Boardman, Ohio/Boardman). The inning started with back-to-back singles by sophomore second baseman Carlena Fiorilli (Mount Vernon, Ohio/Mount Vernon) and junior designated player Britney Wilson (Coraopolis, Pa./West Allegheny) before Lester recorded her first career home run. UPJ tied the game on another solo homer by Mooney in the top of the seventh before designated player Kayla Miehl, who belted a pair of homers in Game 1, drew a walk and was replaced for a pinch-runner. Tori Radvan, the Game 1 starting pitcher, then delivered a go-ahead RBI triple to center field before later being thrown out at home attempting to score on a sacrifice fly to right field. Cal mounted a two-out rally in the bottom of the seventh with Fiorilli reaching on a single and advancing to second on a throwing error that allowed Wilson to reach base. However, the game then ended with a fly-out to center field.

Fiorilli finished 2-for-3 with one run scored and one walk, while Lester belted a three-run homer and drew a walk.

In Game 1, Cal trailed by an 8-4 margin before cutting the deficit to one run on a pinch-hit, three-run homer with two outs. Sophomore starting pitcher Caleigh Rister (Bucyrus, Bucyrus) was saddled with the loss after surrendering five runs (all earned) on 10 hits in 2.2 innings (75 pitches). Larcinese worked 3.2 innings (63 pitches) of relief in the contest, allowing one run (earned) on six hits with three strikeouts.

The Mountain Cats took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-run homer by Miehl that hit off the left-field foul pole. Cal answered with an RBI double to left center by Lester that scored junior Charity Henderson (Scottdale, Pa./Southmoreland), who started the second inning with a double. In the third, UPJ stretched the lead to 5-1 after collecting six singles off Rister. The Vulcans countered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning with Rister scoring on a ground-out and Henderson later tallying an RBI single through the right side.

In the fourth, Miehl belted a two-run homer to left field to extend the lead to 7-3 before UPJ stranded runners at second and third in the fifth inning. Henderson added another RBI single in the bottom of the fifth before the Mountain Cats scored an insurance run in the seventh. Cal benefited from a dropped flyball in the infield with two outs in the bottom of the inning, as that allowed Lester to then reach on a single. Freshman Avery Curran (Kitchener, Ontario/Resurrection Catholic) then delivered a pinch-hit, three-run homer to left field before the game ended on a fly-out to right center.

Henderson went 3-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored, while Lester finished 3-for-3 with one RBI, one run scored and one walk. Rister and Wilson both collected a pair of hits and scored one run in the contest.

The Vulcans return to action with a weekend road trip, starting on Friday, April 14, against Mercyhurst in Erie, Pennsylvania, at 2:30 p.m.