CALIFORNIA (March 24) – The California (PA) softball team collected a combined 21 hits in a doubleheader sweep of Pitt-Johnstown in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action at Lilley Field on Sunday afternoon, winning 7-0 in Game 1 before posting a 5-3 victory in Game 2.
RECORDS/SERIES
• The Vulcans improve to 6-6 overall while opening league play this weekend with a 4-0 mark.
• The Mountain Cats fall to 3-11 this season with a 0-2 record in divisional action.
• Cal has won eight of the 10 all-time meetings in the series at Lilley Field.
GAME 1 (
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS)
STATS
• Junior pitcher
Caleigh Rister (2-4) tossed her ninth career compete-game shutout, scattering eight hits over 7.0 scoreless innings (108 pitches) with a season-high seven strikeouts.
• She also reached base three times (single, two walks) and finished with one RBI from the leadoff spot.
• Junior first baseman
Kaitlyn Achtermeier collected three hits, one RBI and one run scored.
• Junior left fielder
Carlena Fiorilli, senior second baseman
Jordan Pinneri and senior third baseman
Shayna Postler all tallied a pair of hits and scored one run with Fiorilli adding one RBI.
• Senior designated player
Alyssa Rose belted a three-run homer, her first of the seasons and 15th career.
ACTION
• The Vulcans took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second on RBI singles by Achtermeier and Fiorilli.
• The Mountain Cats threatened in the fourth with two singles to start the inning before Rister recorded back-to-back strikeouts on called third strikes.
• Cal added to its lead in the bottom of the inning on a three-homer by Rose with two outs.
• In the fifth, junior shortstop
Brianna Sersevic and Rister both tallied RBI singles.
• UPJ starter Mia Smith (2-4) suffered the loss after surrendering seven runs (all earned) on 13 hits in 6.0 innings (144 pitches).
GAME 2 (
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS)
STATS
• Fiorilli recorded the first four-hit game of her career, finishing 4-for-4 with a pair of RBI.
• Rose (4-2) earned the win after allowing three runs (all earned) on five hits and five walks in 6.2 innings (116 pitches).
• Rister recorded the final out of the game for her second save of the year.
ACTION
• UPJ threatened in the top of first with runners on the corners following back-to-back walks before a called third strike ended the inning.
• The Mountain Cats then stranded a pair of runners in scoring position in the second, as a ground-out to shortstop halted the threat.
• Cal took a 4-0 lead in the in the bottom of the second on three singles, two walks and a sacrifice fly.
• Sersevic drew a bases-loaded walk before Postler then scored on a sacrifice fly.
• Fiorilli later delivered a two-run single with two outs to cap the scoring.
• The Vulcans added an insurance run in the fifth when pinch-runner
Mackenzie Carson scored from second on a fielders' choice to the middle of the infield, 5-0.
• UPJ cut into the deficit in the sixth inning with a two-run homer by designated player Kayla Miehl, a 2023 All-PSAC West First-Team selection, before stranding a runner in scoring position.
• The Mountain Cats scored on a ground-out in the seventh and had the game-tying run on base before Rister induced a ground-out to close the game.
• UPJ starter Addison Hilligsburg (1-5) was saddled with the loss after yielding five runs (all earned) on eight hits and three walks in 6.0 innings (103 pitches).
NEXT
• Cal returns to action on Tuesday, March 26, when it travels to face IUP for a doubleheader in PSAC West play, starting at 2:30 p.m.
