QUAKERTOWN, Pa. (May 3) – Junior catcher Shayna Postler (Bethel Park, Pa./Bethel Park) belted a pair of game-tying homers and scored the game-winning run in extra innings, as the California (PA) softball team earned a 5-4 victory against Seton Hill in an elimination game on Wednesday night in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament.

With the win, the Vulcans improve to 27-23 this season and advance to face East Stroudsburg in another elimination game tomorrow, Thursday, May 4, at 12:30 p.m. Cal also earned its victory in the PSAC Tournament since 2018, snapping a seven-game losing streak in the post-season. Meanwhile, the Griffins fall to 29-17 overall and are eliminated from the league tournament after finishing first in the PSAC West standings.

Postler finished 3-for-4 with a pair of two-run homers, four RBI and three runs scored. She is the first Cal player to record a multi-homer game in the PSAC Tournament since before 2009. Postler tied the score with a two-run homer in both the fourth and sixth innings before reaching on a double in the bottom of the eighth.

In the top of the sixth, Seton Hill took a 4-2 lead on a two-run homer by second baseman Brooklyn Fukushima. Junior Alyssa Rose (Madison, Ohio/Madison) reached base to start the bottom half on a hit by pitch before Postler delivered a game-tying homer to center field, 4-4. The Vulcans threatened later in the inning before the Griffins recorded the second out at home on a fielder's choice to shortstop.

The Griffins opened the seventh with back-to-back singles and later loaded the bases on a one-out single to center field. Freshman Kailey Larcinese (Elizabeth, Pa./Elizabeth Forward) then recorded a strikeout before a fly-out forced Seton Hill to strand the bases loaded. In the eighth, the Griffins opened with a leadoff walk before Larcinese retired the next three batters in order.

Postler led off the bottom of the eighth with a double to deep right field and advanced to third on a single by junior Britney Wilson (Coraopolis, Pa./West Allegheny), who advanced to second on the throw. Sophomore Rylee Evans (Perryopolis, Pa./Frazier) then delivered the walk-off RBI single to left field that scored Postler.

Larcinese earned the victory to improve to 8-7 this year while working 6.1 innings of relief (108 pitches). She allowed two runs (both earned) on four hits and two walks while recording seven strikeouts. Seton Hill junior Lauren Dellett, who was named the 2023 PSAC West Pitcher of the Year yesterday, suffered the loss after surrendering five runs (all earned) on 11 hits in 7.0-plus innings (116 pitches).

Sophomore Caleigh Rister (Bucyrus, Ohio/Bucyrus), who was the starting pitcher, finished 3-for-4 from the leadoff spot and Wilson also went 3-for-4. Rose scored twice in the victory.

Seton Hill took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a solo homer by third baseman Grace Paredes with two outs. The Griffins stretched the lead in the second with a run on a throwing error before leaving a pair of runners in scoring position, 2-0. Postler tied the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the fourth inning with a two-run homer to center field after Rose reached on a walk.

The Vulcans continue play at the PSAC Tournament in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, tomorrow when they face East Stroudsburg at 12:30 p.m. The Warriors, which feature the 2023 PSAC East Pitcher of the Year, are the top-ranked team in the latest Atlantic Region rankings and face elimination after suffering a wild 11-10 loss to Slippery Rock on Wednesday.