EDINBORO, Pa. (April 27) – The California (PA) softball team played for the fourth-consecutive day and closed out the regular season on Thursday afternoon by sweeping a twinbill at Edinboro in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play, winning 4-2 in Game 1 before posting a 7-6 comeback victory in Game 2.

With the sweep, the Vulcans improve to 26-22 overall behind a 19-13 record in league action. Cal is the only team in the PSAC West to have already completed its mandated portion of divisional games. The Vulcans currently sit third in the league standings in terms of winning percentage while a trio of teams are tied for fourth place with a 17-13 mark in conference play. Meanwhile, the Fighting Scots drop to 15-25 this season with a 9-19 mark in PSAC West action.

In Game 1, Cal scored a pair of insurance runs in the top of the seventh before Edinboro posted one run in the bottom half. Sophomore Caleigh Rister (Bucyrus, Ohio/Bucyrus) earned the complete-game victory to improve to 12-7 this season. She allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks while tallying five strikeouts over 7.0 innings (88 pitches).

The Vulcans took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a two-out RBI single by junior first baseman Britney Wilson (Coraopolis, Pa./West Allegheny). Cal ended the third inning with a runner being thrown out at the plate before adding to the lead in the fifth with an RBI single by junior right fielder Charity Henderson (Scottdale, Pa./Southmoreland). In the bottom of the sixth, Edinboro took advantage of an error to start the inning with an RBI double to cut the deficit to 2-1.

Senior center fielder Mackenzie Carson (Tucson, Ariz./Cienega) opened the seventh with a walk and later scored on an RBI single by sophomore second baseman Carlena Fiorilli (Mount Vernon, Ohio/Mount Vernon). Rister, who reached on an error, then scored on a ground-out before Fiorilli was stranded at third base. The Fighting Scots answered in the bottom of the inning with a leadoff homer by catcher Morgan Spitler before Rister prevented another runner from reaching scoring position.

Fiorilli finished 3-for-3 with one RBI, while Henderson went 2-for-4 with one RBI. Carson scored twice in the victory.

In Game 2, the Vulcans held a 5-0 lead before the Fighting Scots scored six runs in the bottom of the third. Cal reclaimed the lead in the sixth on a two-run homer by Carson, the first of her career. Sophomore shortstop Kaitlyn Achtermeier (Gilford, Ontario/Bill Crothers) went 3-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored, while junior catcher Shayna Postler (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) finished 2-for-3 with a two-run homer, her third of the season. Rister added two hits and two runs scored from the leadoff spot.

Cal took a 1-0 advantage in the first inning on an RBI double by Achtermeier after Rister reached on an error to start the game. In the third, the Vulcans stretched the lead to 5-0 on four hits and one error. Achtermeier collected an RBI single and eventually scored on a throwing error before Postler later registered a two-run homer.

In the bottom of the third, Edinboro scored six runs (one earned) on four hits, two walks and an error. The Vulcans answered in the sixth with a two-run homer by Carson before working around a leadoff single in the bottom of the inning.

Freshman Kailey Larcinese (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) recorded the victory after yielding two runs (both unearned) on five hits and zero walks in 4.2 innings of relief. She also collected seven strikeouts in the win.