BINGHAMTON, N.Y. (May 7) – The California (PA) softball team was eliminated from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament after suffering a 9-1 run-rule loss to Seton Hill on Thursday morning at Grand Slam Park.
With the loss, the Vulcans finish the year with a 19-29 overall record under first-year head coach
Kristin Erb. Cal has made the PSAC Tournament in six-consecutive years, including each of the last three under different coaches. Meanwhile, the Griffins improve to 25-24 this season and advance to face Shepherd later on Thursday.
Cal trailed by a 3-1 margin before Seton Hill scored six runs in the top of the fifth after eight-straight batters reached safely. The Vulcans were limited to four hits, all singles, in the loss.
In the first inning, the Griffins took a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly before both teams left a runner in scoring position in the second. Seton Hill mounted a two-out rally with a walk and back-to-back doubles in the top of the third to increase the lead, 3-0. In the bottom of the inning, freshman pitcher
Indyana Bolyea scored from second on a two-out RBI single by sophomore third baseman
Makayla Jerin to cut the deficit to a 3-1 margin.
Seton Hill collected back-to-back hits with one out in the fifth against Bolyea before Cal made a pitching change to senior
Cheyenne Beayon. The Griffins then tallied four-consecutive singles and two additional runs scored on back-to-back hit by pitches with the bases loaded, 8-1.
Bolyea (3-8) suffered the loss after allowing five runs (all earned) on six hits in 4.1 innings (77 pitches), while Beayon surrendered four runs (all earned) on four hits in 0.2 inning.
Since Seton Hill joined the PSAC over a decade ago, the Vulcans and Griffins have only met in the PSAC Tournament in 2023 and 2026.
