• Box Score vs. Kutztown
• Box Score vs. East Stroudsburg

JOHNSTOWN, Pa. (May 10) – The Vulcans posted a 12-7 win in an elimination game over Kutztown in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament at Point Stadium on Friday before being eliminated from the tournament with a 7-4 loss to East Stroudsburg later in the day.

With the split, the California University of Pennsylvania baseball team moves to 35-18 overall to mark the second-winningest season in program history (36, 2007). The Vulcans earned a pair of victories at Point Stadium this week after losing five-straight games in the league tournament. Cal U, which has ranked sixth in the regional rankings for three-straight weeks, must wait to see if it receives an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament with the selection show on NCAA.com set for Sunday, May 12, at 10 p.m.

Against Kutztown (32-16), Cal U scored in each of the first three innings to take an 8-2 lead. The Vulcans took an early 3-0 lead in the bottom of the first after the first five batters all reached base safely. Junior third baseman Derrick Zeroski (Clinton, Pa./West Allegheny) led off with a walk and advanced to third on a pair of wild pitches before scoring on an RBI single by junior center fielder Ben Carson (Coal Center, Pa./California). The Vulcans then loaded the bases with a fielder's choice, walk and single before junior right fielder Chuck Gasti (Carmichaels, Pa./Carmichaels) lined a two-run single through the middle with two outs.

The Golden Bears posted a pair of runs in the top of the second before the Vulcans responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the inning, 5-2. Junior second baseman Giovanni Morales (Philadelphia, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep) reached on a catcher's interference to open the inning and advance to second on a sacrifice bunt. Senior first baseman Kyle Petty (Stewartsville, N.J./Phillipsburg) later delivered a two-out RBI double to left-center field and senior designated hitter AJ Robinson (Milesburg, Pa./Bald Eagle) followed with a double.

In the third, Cal U added three runs on five hits to take an 8-2 lead in the elimination game. Freshman left fielder Mick Fennell (Butler, Pa./Butler) opened the inning with a double and advanced to third on a single by Gasti. Following a strikeout, Morales lined an RBI single through the right side before Carson later collected a two-out, two-run single to center field. The Vulcans scored on a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth after Petty led off the inning with a triple, 9-2.

The Golden Bears managed two runs in the seventh and added one run in the eighth to trim the deficit to 9-5. The Vulcans countered with a three-run homer by Petty in the bottom of the eighth after the inning started with a double by Zeroski and single from Caron, 12-5. Kutztown scored a pair of runs in the ninth before the game ended with a double play.

Petty finished 4-for-5 with two triples, one homer four RBI and four runs scored. Caron went 3-for-5 with three RBI and one run scored, while Zeroski collected a pair of hits and scored twice. Gasti added two hits and two RBI in the victory.

Sophomore GJ Senchak (New Castle, Pa./New Castle) earned the victory after allowing five runs (four earned) on 10 hits in a career-high 8.0 innings (132 pitches). Redshirt senior Eric Francis (New Castle, Pa./Shenango) retired the final three outs while making his second appearance in the league tournament. Kutztown starter Jason Henderson (4-3) suffered the loss after allowing five runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks in 2.0 innings (49 pitches).

Against the Warriors (32-16), East Stroudsburg scored two runs in each of the first two innings and junior starter Matt Smith faced only one batter over the minimum through the first five innings. In the top of the sixth, the Vulcans mounted a three-run rally after collecting four-straight hits with two outs, 4-3. With runners on first and second, Petty lined a two-run triple down the right-field line before scoring on an RBI single by Robinson. The Warriors countered with three runs in the bottom of the inning after the first four batters reached base safely, 7-3. In the top of the eighth, Carson opened the inning with a triple to right-center field before scoring on an RBI ground-out by Petty.

Fennell (5-5) was saddled with the loss after yielding seven runs (all earned) on seven hits and three walks in 5.0-plus innings (85 pitches). Sophomore Kyle Mann (DuBois, Pa./DuBois Central Catholic) tossed 3.0 innings of scoreless, two-hit relief (39 pitches) against ESU. Smith (6-4) posted the win after allowing four runs (all earned) on eight hits in 8.0 innings, while junior Keenan Stare registered the save after working a scoreless ninth inning.

Carson went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored, while Gasti also collected a pair of hits in the loss. Petty posted three RBI and finished the tournament with a team-best .438 average (7-for-16), nine RBI and seven runs scored.

PSAC TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE
Wednesday, May 8
Game 1 - (E2) Kutztown d. (W3) Mercyhurst, 6-1
Game 2 - (E4) West Chester d. (W1) California (Pa.), 5-0
Game 3 - (E3) East Stroudsburg d. (W2) Gannon, 8-5

Thursday, May 9
Game 4 - (E1) Millersville d. (W4) Slippery Rock, 5-0 (originally scheduled for 5/8)
Game 5 - (W1) California (Pa.) d. (W3) Mercyhurst, 8-6 (Mercyhurst eliminated)
Game 6 - (W2) Gannon d. (W4) Slippery Rock, 9-3 (Slippery Rock eliminated)
Game 7 - (E4) West Chester d. (E2) Kutztown, 3-0
Game 8 - (E3) East Stroudsburg d. (E1) Millersville, 6-2

Friday, May 10 (UPDATED)
Game 9 - (W1) California (Pa.) d. (E2) Kutztown, 12-7 (Kutztown eliminated)
Game 10 - (E1) Millersville d. (W2) Gannon, 6-5 (Gannon eliminated)
Game 11 - (E3) East Stroudsburg d. (W1) California (Pa.), 7-4 (California (Pa.) eliminated)
Game 12 - (E4) West Chester d. (E1) Millersville, 14-8 (Millersville eliminated)

Saturday, May 11
Game 13 - (E3) East Stroudsburg vs. (E4) West Chester, 1 p.m.