RIE, Pa. (April 27) – The Vulcans were swept in a doubleheader at Mercyhurst on Saturday afternoon in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West action, suffering a 9-8 loss in Game 1 before falling by a 16-2 margin in Game 2.
RECORDS/SERIES
• The California (PA) baseball team falls to 25-17 overall behind an 11-13 record in conference play.
• The Lakers improve to 20-16 this season with a 17-7 mark in league action.
• Mercyhurst enters the final week of the regular season tied for first place in the PSAC West standings.
• The Lakers have won nine of the last 10 meetings against the Vulcans in Erie.
GAME 1
STATS
• Sophomore third baseman
Conor Carney recorded two hits, two runs scored, and one RBI.
• Junior left fielder
Ryan Callahan tallied two hits, including a solo homer, two RBI, two runs scored and one walk.
• Junior first baseman
Nathan Meeks collected two hits, including a solo homer, and two RBI.
• Sophomore
Luke Treloar (2-3) was saddled with the loss while working 0.1 inning of relief.
• Sophomore starting pitcher
Nathan Holmes took a no-decision after tossing 4.2 innings (88 pitches).
ACTION
• The Vulcans took a 2-0 lead in the top of the second behind solo homers from Callahan and Meeks.
• The Lakers answered with four runs on five hits and two errors in the bottom of the inning.
• Cal reclaimed the lead in the third by scoring four runs on three singles, two walks and one hit by pitch.
• Junior designated
Payton Conte collected a two-out RBI single before Meeks reached on a bases-loaded hit by pitch.
• Two runs then scored when freshman shortstop
Jason Nuttridge reached on a single.
• Mercyhurst countered with four runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take an 8-6 lead behind a three-run homer by shortstop Matt Christopher.
• The Vulcans rallied to tie the score in the sixth with an RBI single by Carney and two-out RBI double by Callahan.
• Mercyhurst led off the bottom of the inning with a game-winning solo homer by Christopher, his second of the game.
GAME 2
STATS
• Freshman third baseman
Caleb Collins recorded two of the team's four hits and finished with one RBI.
• Sophomore starting
Sam Georgiana (3-3) suffered the loss after surrendering six runs (all earned) in 3.2 innings (63 pitches).
ACTION
• Cal took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second when Collins lined a two-out RBI triple.
• Mercyhurst countered with a two-run homer by first baseman Jayd Walker in the bottom of the inning.
• The Lakers stretched the lead to 6-1 behind a pair of homers in the fourth.
• Mercyhurst added another two-run homer in the fifth before scoring eight runs in the sixth inning, including four homers.
• Laker right fielder Chris Juchno belted a trio of homers in the victory and five longball in the series.
NEXT
• The Vulcans return to action on Thursday, May 2, with a road doubleheader against Pitt-Johnstown at 1 p.m.
