WASHINGTON, Pa. (March 31) – The California (PA) baseball team scored at least three runs in three separate innings and five players collected multi-hit games in a 12-6 victory over Wheeling at EQT Park in non-conference action on Tuesday afternoon.
NOTES
• The Vulcans (17-7) extended their winning streak in the series against the Cardinals to 10 games, scoring double-digit runs in five-straight games.
• Junior left fielder
Ikon Jones collected four hits, four RBI and three runs scored, while junior third baseman
Caleb Collins posted three hits and two RBI.
• Sophomore shortstop
Brandon McClain-Banks and sophomore second baseman
Peyton Ford both finished with two hits and two runs scored.
• Redshirt freshman catcher
AJ Verdi registered two hits and one RBI, while freshman center fielder
Charlie Nigut scored three runs after reaching base on three hit by pitches and one walk.
• In the top of the first, Jones delivered a two-run single before scoring on a fielder's choice.
• Cal stretched the lead to 6-0 in the second inning after scoring three runs on three hits and one walk.
• Ford scored on a sacrifice fly before Jones and Collins recorded back-to-back, two-out RBI hits.
• The Vulcans added a two-out RBI single by redshirt freshman designated hitter
Chad Helwich in the bottom of the fifth, 7-1.
• Cal later scored five runs in the seventh to take a 12-1 lead on three hits, one walk and three hit by pitches.
• Nigut reached on a bases-loaded hit by pitch before the Cardinals made a pitching change.
• Following an infield fly, the next two batters also reached on bases-loaded hit by pitches before senior first baseman
Colin Patterson tallied a two-run single.
• In the eighth, Wheeling scored five runs on just one hit – a three-run double – off three different pitchers to cut the deficit to a 12-6 margin.
• Sophomore starting pitcher
Colin Watson (2-1) earned the victory after allowing one run (earned) on four hits with zero walks over a career-high 6.0 innings (70 pitches).
• He also set a career high with five strikeouts against Wheeling.
• The Cardinals used seven different pitchers in the contest with none working more than 2.0 innings.
NEXT
• Cal returns to action on Friday, April 3, when it opens its series against Gannon with a doubleheader at EQT Park in Washington, Pennsylvania, at 1 p.m.
