SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. (May 10) – Behind a solo homer by sophomore first baseman Payton Conte (California, Pa./ California) in the top of the 11th inning, the Vulcans advanced to the second round of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament with a 3-2 victory over East Stroudsburg on Wednesday morning in an elimination game at Jack Critchfield Park.

With the victory, the California (PA) baseball team improves to 29-19 this season and advances to the double-elimination portion of the tournament while facing Seton Hill tomorrow, Thursday, May 11, at 10 a.m. Meanwhile, the Warriors fall to 35-12 overall and are eliminated from the PSAC Tournament after sitting ranked third in the latest Atlantic regional rankings.

Cal took a 1-0 lead in the fourth before ESU tied the score in the bottom of the eighth. Conte delivered the go-ahead solo homer to left field on the first pitch of his at-bat with two outs in the 11th inning. The Vulcans played their longest game in the PSAC Tournament since an 11-inning, elimination game against West Chester in 2009.

Conte finished the game 3-for-5, highlighted by his first homer of the season, while junior shortstop Brett Bobin (Wampum, Pa./Mohawk) tallied a pair of hits and scored one run. Senior catcher Justin Stewart (Butler, Pa./Butler) went 2-for-3 with one RBI and one walk, plus sophomore center fielder Adam Crawford (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny) added two hits.

Freshman starting pitcher Dylan Mathiesen (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour) was dazzling in a no-decision on Wednesday, as he yielded one run (earned) on three hits with seven strikeouts in 8.0 innings (130 pitches). He kept the Warriors scoreless through 7.0 innings and teamed with Stewart to prevent them from stealing a base. ESU entered play ranked third in the country with a PSAC-record 175 stolen bases, breaking the mark of 173 steals set by Cal in 2006. Mathiesen became the first Cal freshman to start the opening game of the PSAC Tournament since Jack Dennis in 2013.

Cal threatened to take an early lead in the top of the second inning with back-to-back singles, however, a double play and strikeout stranded Stewart at third base. In the fourth, Bobin reached on a leadoff single and advanced to third on a failed picked off attempt before scoring on a sacrifice fly by Stewart, 1-0.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Warriors started the inning with a walk and double before Mathiesen preserved the shutout with an unassisted ground-out to Conte at first, a called third strike and a pop-up to end the inning. ESU later tied the score at 1-1 in the eighth inning on a fielder's choice to second base after having runners on the corners with one out.

Freshman relief pitcher Jake Kramer (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) secured the win after tossing 3.0 scoreless innings (45 pitches) of relief. He scattered three hits and two walks while matching his season high in innings.

ESU reliever Nick McAuliffe, an All-PSAC First-Team selection, suffered the loss while allowing one run (earned) on five hits with four strikeouts over 4.0 innings (72 pitches). Warrior starting pitcher Chase Nowak, the 2023 PSAC East Pitcher of the Year, took a no-decision after allowing one run (unearned) on six hits while posting six strikeouts in 7.0 innings (89 pitches). ESU entered the post-season as the NCAA Division II leader with a 3.13 ERA this season.

Cal returns to action tomorrow when it faces Seton Hill in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania, at 10 a.m. The Griffins, who swept the four-game series with the Vulcans in the regular season, finished first in the PSAC West standings this year. The Vulcans will be facing the Griffins in the PSAC Tournament for the first time since an elimination game in 2019.