SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. (April 8) – The California (PA) baseball team claimed a weekend series win versus Slippery Rock as it split a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West doubleheader on the road on Sunday afternoon. The Vulcans lost Game 1 by a 4-1 margin before answering with a 4-1 victory in Game 2.
With the split, the Vulcans move to 13-12 overall with a 4-8 mark in league action. Meanwhile, the Rock holds a 14-13 record with a 3-9 conference ledger.
Cal gained the advantage in the first inning of Game 2 after senior catcher
Justin Stewart (Butler, Pa./Butler) recorded a groundout-RBI to second base as he drove in junior shortstop
Brett Bobin (Wampum, Pa./Mohawk), 1-0. Slippery Rock tied the game at 1-1 in the third inning after Luke Trueman hit a solo home run in a pinch-hit opportunity. Through the next three innings, both teams were held scoreless until the seventh when Bobin blasted a triple to left center to score senior right fielder
Colby Rockacy (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks), 2-1. Stewart batted-in Bobin an a single up the middle to extend the Vulcan lead to 3-1 followed by a double to left center from Conte to drive in Stewart, 4-1.
Stewart went a staggering 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI and scored a run. Sophomore left fielder
Ryan Callahan (Bexley, Ohio/Bexley) finished 2-for-4 while Conte collected two hits and one RBI. Bobin posted an RBI and crossed home plate twice. Starting freshman pitcher
Dylan Mathiesen (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour) registered the win as he only yielded one run (earned) on five hits and tallied a season-best nine strikeouts in 6.0 innings. Freshman relief pitcher
Jake Kramer (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) collected his third save of the season.
Starting Slippery Rock pitcher Jake Norris suffered the loss as he surrendered three runs (all earned) on four hits in 1.1 innings.
In Game 1, the Vulcans jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning following an RBI-single up the middle by Stewart to score Bobin from third. The Rock countered back with an RBI groundout to second base in the bottom of the first to tie the game at 1-1. Over the next three innings, the teams remained tied until Robby Barrientos hit a solo home run over the left field fence to give Slippery Rock a 2-1 edge in the fifth. The Rock stretched their lead to a 4-1 margin after a two-run ground-rule double to center field. In the seventh, the Vulcans were able to get a pair of base runners but were unable to score.
Stewart finished the game 1-for-3 with an RBI while Conte and Callahan both went 1-for-3. Starting freshman pitcher
Nathan Holmes (North Versailles, Pa./East Allegheny) suffered the loss as he allowed four runs (all earned) on four hits and tallied four strikeouts in 5.0 innings.
Starting Slippery Rock pitcher Luke Trueman earned the win as he yielded one run (earned) on five hits and posted 10 strikeouts.
Cal returns to action on Tuesday, April 11 as it hosts West Liberty in non-conference action at Wild Things Park.