WASHINGTON, Pa. (April 13) – In a meeting of teams tied for first place in the league standings, the Vulcans claimed a doubleheader split against Slippery Rock at Wild Things Park on Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action with a 3-2 victory in Game 1 before being blanked by a 5-0 margin in Game 2.
RECORDS/SERIES
• The California (PA) baseball team moves to 22-9 overall behind a 9-5 record in league play.
• The Rock stands at 18-10 this season and also holds a 9-5 mark in conference play.
• The Vulcans have won seven of the last 10 home meetings against The Rock.
GAME 1 (
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS)
STATS
• Junior
Jackson Miller (2-2) earned the win while making his first start since March 22.
• He yielded one run (one earned) on three hits with zero walks over 4.0 innings (56 pitches).
• Sophomore
Jake Kramer retired The Rock in order in the top of the seventh to post his eighth save of the year.
• Junior designated hitter
Payton Conte tallied two hits and one RBI, while sophomore third baseman
Conor Carney added a pair of hits.
ACTION
• Cal took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first against Rock starting pitcher Gage Gillott, who entered the weekend as the NCAA Division II leader with a 0.82 ERA.
• Junior second baseman
Santino Marra started a two-out rally with a double before scoring on a single by junior left fielder
Ryan Callahan, who advanced to second on a throwing error.
• The Vulcans capitalized on the error, as Conte followed with an RBI single to left center.
• Slippery Rock responded with a solo homer by second baseman Koby Bubash to leadoff the second.
• Cal countered in the bottom half with a solo homer by junior first baseman
Nathan Meeks, his first of the season.
• The Rock started the fifth with a double and walk before manufacturing a run on a sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly, 3-2.
• Slippery Rock and Cal both stranded runners on third base in the sixth inning.
• Gillott (5-2) suffered the loss after yielding three runs (two earned) on seven hits and zero walks over 6.0 innings (87 pitches) with eight strikeouts.
GAME 2 (
VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS)
STATS
• The Vulcans were limited to one hit and five base runners while being shutout for the first time this season.
• Sophomore starting pitcher
Michael Valente (4-1) was saddled with the loss after surrendering five runs (all earned) on nine hits in 5.2 innings (89 pitches).
• Freshman
Beau Bigam tossed 1.1 innings of scoreless relief on Saturday.
ACTION
• Slippery Rock took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second on back-to-back, two-out RBI singles.
• The Rock added to the lead in the fourth inning on a two-out RBI triple.
• Slippery Rock tallied a pair of insurance runs on three hits and a sacrifice fly in the sixth.
• Rock starting pitcher Nate Malak (2-0) earned the win after working 6.0 shutout innings (101 pitches).
NEXT
• Cal returns to action tomorrow, Sunday, April 14, when it travels to play a doubleheader at Slippery Rock, starting at 1 p.m.
