ERIE, Pa. (April 24) – The Vulcans swept a doubleheader at Gannon on Monday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action, claiming an 8-3 victory in Game 1 before posting a 7-3 win in Game 2.
With the sweep, the California (PA) softball team improves to 23-19 this season with a 16-10 mark in league play. The Vulcans swept a road twinbill against the Lady Knights on Monday for the first time since 2018. Meanwhile, Gannon falls to 15-23 overall behind a 14-12 record in divisional action.
In Game 1, the Vulcans scored five runs in the top of third before adding a pair of insurance runs in the sixth. Sophomore pitcher
Caleigh Rister (Bucyrus, Ohio/Bucyrus) earned a complete-game victory to improve to 11-6 this spring behind a 7-3 mark against PSAC West opponents. She allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits and three walks over 7.0 innings while tallying five strikeouts.
Cal took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when junior left fielder
Alyssa Rose (Madison, Ohio/Madison) scored on a fielder's choice before the inning ended with a double play. The Lady Knights countered with two runs in the bottom half of the inning on a pair of singles and an error, plus a sacrifice fly. In the third, the Vulcans responded with five runs to seize a 6-2 lead after five-straight batters reached safely to start the inning. Rister opened the inning with a single and scored from second on an RBI single by sophomore shortstop
Kaitlyn Achtermeier (Gilford, Ontario/Bill Crothers). Junior right fielder
Charity Henderson (Scottdale, Pa./Southmoreland) then delivered a two-run single and later advanced to third on an error before scoring on a ground-out. Junior catcher
Shayna Postler (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) then delivered a two-out RBI single to center field for the final run of the inning.
Gannon threatened with a two-out triple in the bottom of the fifth before a line-out to shortstop ended the inning. The Vulcans scored on a bases-loaded walk by Henderson and a fielding error in the sixth to take an 8-2 lead. The Lady Knights capitalized on a leadoff error in the bottom of the seventh to cut the deficit to 8-3.
Achtermeier went 2-for-2 with one RBI, one run scored and two walks, while Rister finished with two hits and two runs scored. Henderson registered three RBI in the victory, while Postler totaled a pair of RBI.
In Game 2, Cal erased a three-run deficit by scoring seven-unanswered runs over the fourth and fifth innings. Rose improved to 6-5 this year after earning a complete-game victory at Gannon. She yielded three runs (all earned) on six hits and registered nine strikeouts over 7.0 innings.
The Lady Knights took a 3-0 lead with two outs in the bottom of the third on a three-run homer by left fielder Abbey Girman. Cal quickly responded by scoring three runs in the fourth to tie the game at 3-3. Postler delivered a two-run double down the left-field line before scoring on an error. In the fifth, the Vulcans batted around and scored four runs to take a 7-3 lead. Achtermeier started the inning with a double and scored on a sacrifice fly before sophomore designated player
Rylee Evans (Perryopolis, Pa./Frazier) posted an RBI double to center field. Junior first baseman
Britney Wilson (Coraopolis, Pa./West Allegheny) and Rister later collected back-to-back, two-out RBI singles before Cal left the bases loaded.
Rister went 2-for-3 with one RBI and one walk from the leadoff spot, while Achtermeier finished 2-for-4 with one run scored. Evans drew a pair of walks, plus collected an RBI double, and Postler finished with two RBI.
Cal returns to action tomorrow, Tuesday, April 25, when it hosts PSAC West-leading Seton Hill for a doubleheader at Lilley Field, starting at 2:30 p.m.
