CALIFORNIA (April 16) – The Vulcans claimed a walk-off victory in Game 1 on Tuesday afternoon before overcoming a deficit with a nine-run inning in Game 2 while posting a doubleheader sweep over IUP at Lilley Field in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).West play, winning 6-5 and 14-11.
RECORDS/SERIES
• The California (PA) softball team improves to 15-14 this season with a 13-8 mark in conference action.
• The Crimson Hawks fall to 22-17 overall behind an 8-11 record in league play.
• The Vulcans have won nine of the last 10 meetings in the series against the Crimson Hawks.
GAME 1
STATS
• Junior
Caleigh Rister (9-6) earned the complete-game victory after allowing five runs (two earned) over 7.0 innings (146 pitches).
• She also posted two hits, including a solo homer, scored two runs and drew one walk at the plate.
• Senior third baseman
Shayna Postler posted a pair of hits and three RBI.
• Senior second baseman
Jordan Pinneri finished with two runs scored from the leadoff spot.
ACTION
• IUP scored an unearned run in the top of the first before Postler delivered a two-run double in the bottom of the inning.
• The Crimson Hawks scored one run in both the second and third to take a 3-2 lead.
• Rister led off the bottom of the third with her second homer of the year before sophomore right fielder
Mikayla Linkous later collected a two-out RBI single.
• Cal stretched the lead to 5-3 in the sixth on a two-out RBI single by Postler.
• IUP capitalized on a pair of fielding errors in the top of the seventh to tie the score at 5-5.
• In the bottom half, the Vulcans loaded the bases on two walks and a shallow single.
• Senior pinch runner
Mackenzie Carson scored the game-winning run on a sacrifice fly by junior shortstop
Brianna Sersevic.
• IUP reliever Olivia Hillegas (3-1) suffered the loss after allowing two run (both earned) on two hits and five walks in 3.1 innings of work.
GAME 2
STATS
• Rister tied her career high with five RBI and finished with two hits and one run scored.
• Postler added two hits, two RBI, one run scored and one walk in the victory.
• Senior
Alyssa Rose collected two hits, one RBI and two runs scored, while junior left fielder
Carlena Fiorilli scored three runs after drawing four walks.
• Rose (5-8) claimed the victory and matched her season high of nine strikeouts over a combined 5.0 innings (131 pitches).
ACTION
• The Vulcans took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a two-out RBI double by Poster.
• Cal added to the lead in the second with a bases-loaded walk by Fiorilli and a three-run double by Rister, both with two outs.
• IUP then scored four runs in the third and added three runs in the fourth to take a 7-5 lead.
• The Vulcans responded by scoring nine runs in the bottom of the fifth on just four hits.
• Rose scored the initial run of the inning on a wild pitch before Sersevic later drew a bases-loaded walk.
• Following a RBI ground-out, Rister collected a two-run single and Postler added an RBI single.
• Rose lined an RBI double in her second at-bat of the inning and later scored on a throwing error.
• IUP scored twice in the sixth and seventh innings to cut the deficit to 14-11.
• The Crimson Hawks and Vulcans both used four pitchers in the contest with IUP reliever Elizabeth Kasper (4-4) being dealt the loss after surrendering three runs (all earned) in 2.1 innings.
NEXT
• Cal returns to action tomorrow, Wednesday, April 17, when it travels to play a doubleheader at Edinboro, starting at 2:30 p.m.
