GREENSBURG, Pa. (April 4) – Junior
Alyssa Rose (Madison, Ohio/Madison) tossed a one-hit, complete-game shutout in Game 2 on Tuesday afternoon, as the Vulcans split a twinbill at Seton Hill in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action, suffering a 1-0 loss in Game 1 before earning a 4-0 victory in Game 2.
With the split, the California (PA) softball team stands at 12-16 this season with a 5-7 mark in league play. Meanwhile, the Griffins move to 15-9 overall behind an 8-2 record in divisional action after winning the NCAA Atlantic Region Championship last season.
In Game 2, Rose faced the minimum of 21 batters over 7.0 innings while improving to 3-5 this season. She allowed just two base runners in the contest and collected six strikeouts while using only 62 pitches (45 strikes). Rose erased a first-inning base runner on a caught stealing before Seton Hill posted its lone hit of the contest in the fourth and a double play ended the inning.
The Vulcans took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a two-out RBI single by sophomore designated player
Rylee Evans (Perryopolis, Pa./Frazier). Cal extended the lead in the top of the third when sophomore second baseman
Carlena Fiorilli (Mount Vernon, Ohio/Mount Vernon) scored on a fielder's choice.
In the sixth, Rose and freshman first baseman
Madison Lester (Boardman, Ohio/Boardman) collected back-to-back doubles and Evans followed with an RBI single to stretch the lead to 4-0. Rose retired the last 10 batters she faced in the game.
Evans finished 2-for-3 with two RBI, while Lester went 2-for-3 with one RBI. Rose scored a pair of runs in the victory and sophomore third baseman
Kaitlyn Achtermeier (Gilford, Ontario/Bill Crothers) collected two hits.
In Game 1, the Griffins scored the lone run of the contest in the bottom of the sixth inning. Sophomore
Caleigh Rister (Bucyrus, Ohio/Bucyrus) suffered the loss after yielding one run (earned) while scattering seven hits in 6.0 innings (64 pitches).
Seton Hill attempted to manufacture a run in the bottom of the third following a leadoff single. The Griffins then executed a sacrifice bunt before the next two batter were retired in order. The Vulcans had runners on first and second in the fourth following a fielding error and one-out walk before a double play ended the inning.
In the top of the fifth, Lester opened the inning with a single and pinch runner
Mikayla Linkous (Mount Gilead, Ohio/Cardington-Lincoln) advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and ground-out before a fly-out halted the threat. Seton Hill looked to take the lead in the bottom of the inning with runners on first and second before a fielder's choice and ground-out ended the inning.
The Vulcans looked to break the scoreless tie with three-straight, two-out singles in the sixth before Achtermeier was thrown out at home after attempting to score from second. Seton Hill collected back-to-back singles to open the bottom of the inning before taking a 1-0 lead on a one-out single before Rister the Griffins to strand runners on second and third.
Seven different players collected a single in the Game 1 loss.
Cal returns to action on Friday, April 7, when it hosts Edinboro for a PSAC West doubleheader at Lilley Field, starting at 2:30 p.m.
