WASHINGTON, Pa. (April 19) – Utilizing seven different pitchers, the Vulcans dropped a 12-4 contest to Ohio Dominican in non-conference action at Wild Things Park on Wednesday afternoon.

With the loss, the California (PA) baseball team falls to 18-14 overall after playing its eighth game in eight days. Meanwhile, Ohio Dominican improves to 19-18 this season while facing its first Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) opponent this spring.

The Panthers raced out to a six-run lead in the top of the first on four hits and forced senior starting pitcher Zach Rohaley (Washington, Pa./Canon-McMillan) from the game without recording an out. ODU added to its lead with a two-out RBI single in the second before Cal stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning. Sophomore first baseman Payton Conte (California, Pa./California) started a rally with a double down the left-field line before sophomore left fielder Ryan Callahan (Bexley, Ohio/Bexley) followed with a single through the right side. The Vulcans then loaded the bases on a hit by pitch before a strikeout and force-out at second ended the threat.

In the third, the Panthers extended the lead to 8-0 with an RBI triple before scoring another run in the fourth. ODU left the bases loaded in the fourth after a running catch by senior Colby Rockacy (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) in the right-centerfield gap for the third out. The Panthers again tallied a run in the fifth to take a 10-0 advantage before stranding the bases loaded for a consecutive inning. Cal loaded the bases in the bottom of the inning on a two-out fielding error before senior catcher Justin Stewart (Butler, Pa./Butler) delivered a three-run triple to left center, 10-3.

ODU was retired in order for the first time in the sixth inning before Cal trimmed the deficit to 10-4 on a sacrifice fly by Marra after Callahan opened the bottom half with a ground-rule double. The Panthers countered with a run on a sacrifice fly in the seventh and scored on a wild pitch in the eighth before leaving the bases loaded, 12-4.

Marra finished 2-for-3 with one RBI, one run scored and one hit by pitch from the leadoff spot. Callahan added a pair of hits and scored one run, while Stewart recorded three RBI in the contest.

Rohaley suffered the loss while making his first start since 2021 after allowing five runs (all earned) in the first inning. Redshirt freshman Luke Treloar (Delmont, Pa./Franklin Regional) tossed 3.0 innings of relief and allowed two runs (both earned) on four hits with two strikeouts. Senior Devin Foster (Davidsville, Pa./Conemaugh Township) tallied a trio of strikeouts while working 2.0 innings of relief, yielding two runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks.

Cal returns to PSAC West play this weekend with a four-game series against Mercyhurst, starting with a doubleheader in Erie, Pennsylvania, on Friday, April 21, at 1 p.m.