JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (May 2) – The California (PA) baseball team earned a doubleheader split at Pitt-Johnstown in Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West play on Thursday afternoon, suffering a 5-3 loss before claiming an 8-6 victory.
RECORDS/SERIES
• The Vulcans move to 26-18 this season with a 12-14 mark in league action.
• The Mountain Cats stand at 19-28 overall behind an 8-18 record in divisional play.
• Cal has won seven of the last 10 meetings in the series dating back to the 2022 campaign.
• The Vulcans will finish fifth in the PSAC West standings after making the previous four PSAC Tournaments.
GAME 1
STATS
• Freshman center fielder
Ikon Jones finished three hits and one run scored from the leadoff spot.
• Freshman shortstop
Jason Nuttridge scored one run after reaching on a single and walk.
• Sophomore
Michael Valente (5-3) suffered the loss after yielding five runs (all earned) on seven hits in 5.0-plus innings (70 pitches).
ACTION
• UPJ scored a pair of runs with a two-out triple in the bottom of the first.
• The Mountain Cats added to the lead in the fourth with a solo homer by first baseman Devon Boyles, 3-0.
• UPJ stretched the lead to a 5-0 margin after scoring twice on three-straight hits to start the sixth inning.
• The Vulcans avoided the shutout by scoring three runs in the top of the seventh.
• Junior second baseman
Santino Marra posted a two-out RBI single.
• Nuttridge then scored on a wild pitch and Jones also scored on the play as a result of a throwing error.
• UPJ starting pitcher Rodney Shultz (3-4) earned the win after allowing two runs (both earned) on six hits with six strikeouts in 6.1 innings (101 pitches).
GAME 2
STATS
• Marra collected four hits and scored two runs.
• Senior right fielder
Colby Rockacy tallied three hits, three RBI and two runs scored.
• Sophomore
Jake Kramer (3-1) was credited with the victory after surrendering two runs (both earned) with two strikeouts in 2.0 innings of relief.
• Freshman
Josh Bryson logged 2.0 innings of scoreless relief against the Mountain Cats.
ACTION
• Cal took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-out RBI triple by junior left fielder
Ryan Callahan before UPJ tied the score in the bottom half.
• The Vulcans scored three runs on three hits in the second to reclaim the lead by a 4-1 margin.
• Nuttridge posted an RBI single before Rockacy followed with an RBI triple and then scored on a sacrifice fly.
• The Mountain Cats again scored once in the bottom of the second before tying the score at 4-4 in the third inning.
• Cal claimed a 6-4 lead in the sixth inning behind back-to-back RBI hits by Rockacy and Jones.
• UPJ countered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning to tie score at 6-6.
• The Vulcans scored twice in the seventh after the inning started with back-to-back hits.
NEXT
• Cal closes out the season tomorrow, Friday, May 3, when it hosts Pitt-Johnstown for a doubleheader on Senior Day at Wild Things Park, starting at 1 p.m.
