INDIANA, Pa. (April 21) – The Vulcans dropped both games of a twinbill at IUP in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action on Sunday afternoon, suffering a 6-5 loss in extra innings in Game 1 before falling by a 4-1 margin in Game 2.
RECORDS/SERIES
• The California (PA) baseball team drops to 24-14 overall behind a 10-10 record in conference play.
• The Crimson Hawks improve to 25-10 this spring with a 14-6 mark in league action.
• IUP Is now in a three-way tie for first place in the PSAC West standings, while Cal sits 3.0 games back of fourth place.
• The Vulcans were swept in the four-game season series by the Crimson Hawks for the first time in over 25 years.
GAME 1
STATS
• Junior first baseman
Nathan Meeks tallied three hits, two RBI and one run scored.
• Junior left fielder
Ryan Callahan finished with two hits, one RBI, one run scored and one walk.
• Freshman center fielder
Ikon Jones and freshman right fielder
Jason Nuttridge both collected a pair of hits and scored one run.
• Junior designated hitter
Payton Conte added two hits in the contest.
• Junior
Jake Kramer (2-1) suffered the loss after allowing one run (earned) on four hits in 3.1 innings of relief (55 pitches), his second outing of at least 3.0 innings this spring.
• Sophomore starting pitcher
Nathan Holmes recorded a season-high seven strikeouts over 4.0 innings (83 pitches) in a no-decision.
ACTION
• IUP took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first on a two-out double before both teams scored one run in the third inning.
• The Vulcans tied the score at 3-3 in the fourth with a bases-loaded walk and sacrifice fly.
• The Crimson Hawks countered with another two-out, two-run hit in the bottom half of the inning to reclaim the lead.
• Meeks delivered a two-run single in the top of the fifth to again tie the score, 5-5.
• The Vulcans stranded at runner in scoring position in both the sixth and seventh innings.
• IUP started the eighth with a walk and had runners on second and third before second baseman Harrison Pontoli delivered a walk-off single.
GAME 2
STATS
• Five different players posted one hit in the contest.
• Freshman
Josh Bryson (2-2) suffered the loss after surrendering three runs (all earned) in 0.2 inning of relief.
• Sophomore starting pitcher
Sam Georgiana yielded one run (earned) on three hits in 5.0 innings (96 pitches).
ACTION
• Cal took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-out RBI single by Conte.
• The Crimson Hawks tied the score in the fourth before posting three runs off three relievers in the sixth with first baseman Brady Yard starting the inning with a solo homer.
NEXT
• The Vulcans return to action on Friday, April 26, when they open a weekend series against Mercyhurst with a doubleheader at Wild Things Park in Washington, Pennsylvania.