JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (April 29) – The Vulcans earned a doubleheader split on the road against Pitt-Johnstown in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West on Saturday afternoon, notching a 3-0 victory in Game 1 before suffering a 3-0 loss in Game 2.

With the split, the California (PA) baseball team moves to 22-19 overall with a 9-13 mark in league competition entering the final week of the regular season. Meanwhile, the Mountain Cats move to 15-28 behind an 8-14 conference record.

In Game 1, Cal gained a 1-0 advantage in the second inning after sophomore first baseman Payton Conte (California, Pa./California) drove in classmate center fielder Adam Crawford (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny) on a ground-out to second base. Starting sophomore pitcher Roman Gill (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell) and the Vulcans held the Mountain Cats hitless through the opening three innings. Cal extended its lead to a 3-0 margin in the fourth inning after sophomore third baseman Nathan Meeks (New Castle, Pa./Union) notched an RBI-single to center field followed by Conte tallying an RBI-single through the left side. The Mountain Cats were held in check, as they only recorded one hit for the remainder of the game.

Meeks finished the game 2-for-3 with an RBI and one run scored, while Conte went 1-for-3 with two RBI. Crawford and sophomore left fielder Ryan Callahan (Bexley, Ohio/Bexley) each posted a hit and crossed home plate for a score. Gill collected the win as he allowed only one hit in the complete-game shutout and tallied a pair of strikeouts. UPJ starting pitcher Ben Briggs was dealt the loss while surrendering three runs (all earned) on eight hits with two strikeouts in 7.0 innings.

During Game 2, the Mountain Cats gained the early advantage in the first inning with a pair of runs first with an RBI double followed by a hit by pitch that scored a runner from third. In the third inning, a sacrifice fly gave UPJ a 3-0 edge. The Vulcans threatened to score with a runner on first and second, however, a line-out by Crawford was able to get the Mountain Cats out of a pinch and maintained their lead for the rest of the game.

Sophomore second baseman Santino Marra (Uniontown, Pa./Laurel Highlands), senior designated hitter David Lee (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) and Callahan went 1-for-3 at the dish. Redshirt sophomore starting pitcher Jackson Miller (Uniontown, Pa./Albert Gallatin) yielded the loss after allowing three runs (all earned) on eight hits with a pair of strikeouts in 5.1 innings. UPJ pitcher Rodney Shultz earned the win while allowing three hits and zero runs with five strikeouts in 7.0 innings.

The Vulcans return to action tomorrow, Saturday, April 30, as they host Pitt-Johnstown in a conference doubleheader at 2 p.m.