WASHINGTON, Pa. (Feb. 26) – The California (PA) baseball team used a stellar pitching performance by sophomore starter Michael Valente to earn a 3-0 win over Hillsdale (Mich.) on Monday afternoon at Wild Things Park in non-conference play.

RECORDS/SERIES
• The Vulcans improve to 3-2 this season after playing all five games over the last week.
• The Chargers drop to 3-3 overall after opening the year last week in North Carolina.
• Hillsdale won two of the three games in the series this week after the schools previously hadn't met in recent program history.

STATS
• Valente (2-0) scattered two hits and issued zero walks over 6.0 scoreless innings (64 pitches).
• He retired the initial 13 batters he faced before allowing two singles in the top of the fifth.
• Classmate Jake Kramer registered his second save of the season after retiring the Chargers in order over 2.0 innings of relief.
• Junior shortstop Brett Bobin went 2-for-4 with two RBI and one run scored.
• Junior first baseman Payton Conte collected a pair of hits in the win.

GAME ACTION
• The Vulcans took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on an RBI ground-out after an error on a failed pickoff attempt allowed two runners to advance into scoring position.
• Cal stranded the bases loaded in the fourth before leaving a pair of runners on in the fifth inning.
• The Vulcans added to the lead in the sixth with a two-run, opposite-field single with two outs by Bobin, 3-0.
• Hillsdale loaded the bases in the seventh on two singles and a walk before a fielder's choice ended the threat.

NEXT
• Cal is idle for a week before returning to action with seven games on the eastern coast of Florida from March 3-9.