MILLERSVILLE, Pa. (May 8) – The Vulcans were tied with No. 6 Millersville in the middle of the seventh before suffering a 7-3 loss and then rolled to 14-1 run-rule victory over IUP in an elimination game on Thursday in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament at Cooper Park.

With the split, the California (PA) baseball team improves to 36-12 this season and advances to face the loser of Seton Hill-Millersville tomorrow, Friday, May 9, in an elimination game with time to be determined due to weather. The Vulcans have won multiple games in the PSAC Tournament for the first time since the 2019 campaign.

Head coach Mike Conte reached the 800-win milestone on Thursday at the PSAC Tournament. He joins Harry Hillson (Mansfield) and Jeff Messer (Slippery Rock) as the only coaches in league history to reach the mark. Conte boasts a .595 winning percentage (800-545-4) over his 29 seasons as head coach of the Vulcans and recently was selected the PSAC West Coach of the Year for the ninth time in his career.

Senior Santino Marra collected four hits over the two games on Thursday. He now ranks fourth all-time in school history with 220 hits, as he surpassed outfielder Troy Handza (2009-12), and is also now among the top 10 in school history with 124 career RBI. Marra is a combined 6-for-13 with four RBI and four runs scored, along with a .769 slugging percentage, this week at the PSAC Tournament.

Against the host Marauders (40-7), Cal tied the score at 3-3 in the seventh before Millersville reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the inning and added three runs in the eighth. Sophomore Beau Bigam (0-1) suffered the loss after yielding four runs (all earned) in 3.0-plus innings of relief (60 pitches).

Millersville took a 2-0 lead in the first on a solo homer by first baseman Matthew Williams and an RBI single by first baseman Jimmy Kirk, both with two outs. The Vulcans stranded a pair of runners in scoring position in the third before the Marauders added to the lead on a two-out error in the bottom of the inning, 3-0.

In the fourth, senior left fielder Ryan Callahan and Marra opened the inning with back-to-back singles before both advanced on a sacrifice bunt. Junior Connor Evans then delivered a pinch-hit, two-run single to cut the deficit to a 3-2 margin.

Bigam entered the game in the bottom of the fifth and forced Millersville to strand multiple runners on base. The Vulcans loaded the bases in the sixth before the threat ended with a double play. Millersville collected back-to-back singles in the bottom of the inning before stranding both runners in scoring position.

Cal tied the score at 3-3 in the seventh on a two-out RBI single by senior right fielder James Salvatori before Millersville answered with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the inning, which started with a double. The Marauders extended the lead in the eighth with three runs on four hits, 7-3. The Vulcans threatened in the ninth inning by loading the bases with two outs before a fly-out ended the game.

Marra tallied two hits and one run scored, while Salvatori finished with two hits and one RBI. Senior second baseman Nathan Meeks and sophomore catcher Kyle Rizzo both added two hits in the loss.

Redshirt junior starting pitcher Roman Gill took a no-decision after yielding three runs (two earned) on six hits in 4.0 innings (77 pitches).

Against IUP (25-27), the Vulcans scored 14 runs on 14 hits, five walks and three errors while facing seven different pitchers. The trio of Callahan, Marra and senior third baseman Payton Conte combined for eight hits and nine RBI with each recording a multi-hit and multi-RBI game. Sophomore Caleb Collins posted two hits, one RBI and one run scored and classmate Conner McTighe scored three runs. Meeks tallied two hits and one RBI, while Salvatori finished with one hit, two RBI and two runs scored.

The Crimson Hawks took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first before the inning ended with Callahan throwing out a runner at home attempting to score from second. Cal left the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning before tying the score on a sacrifice fly in the second.

The Vulcans scored seven runs in the third after capitalizing on multiple errors by the Crimson Hawk pitcher. Collins collected a bases-loaded single before Cal later scored on an error, sacrifice fly and walk in the inning. Marra capped the scoring in the third with a three-run double to left field with two outs, 8-1.

Cal mounted a two-out rally in the fourth to stretch the lead to a 12-1 margin. Salvatori delivered an RBI single before Conte and Callahan followed with back-to-back RBI doubles. The Vulcans added to the lead with a pair of runs in the sixth inning, including an RBI single by Callahan.

Junior Nathan Holmes (5-3) earned the complete-game victory after allowing one run (earned) on six hits and four walks in 7.0 innings (113 pitches). He also registered seven strikeouts against the Crimson Hawks while setting his career high in wins. Holmes is the first pitcher to record a complete-game victory in the PSAC Tournament since 2010 when Tyler Zimm and Randy Sturgill both accomplished the feat in 9.0-inning victories.

The Vulcans continue play at the PSAC Tournament tomorrow when they play their third elimination game of the week. Seton Hill and Millersville are set to play on Thursday at 1 p.m. with the losing team returning to the diamond to face Cal.