Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score

CALIFORNIA, Pa. – The Gannon baseball team reduced its magic number for clinching its first postseason appearance since 1970 to one with a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division doubleheader split against California (Pa.) Saturday afternoon. The Vulcans took the first game 4-0, before the Golden Knights responded with a 7-4 victory in the nightcap.

Gannon remained in a virtual tie with rival Mercyhurst for first place in the PSAC Western Division with Saturday's split. Mercyhurst was idle after seeing its doubleheader at Clarion rained out. The twinbill has been rescheduled for Sunday afternoon.

Meanwhile, Gannon needs only one more victory or other scenarios throughout the league next Friday to clinch a spot in the PSAC Tournament scheduled for May 2-5 at Pullman Park in Butler, Pa. The Golden Knights moved to 13-7 in conference play, clinching the program's first-ever winning conference record and setting a school record for conference victories in a season. The squad also set a new school record with its 24th victory overall, breaking the old record of 23 wins set by the 1985 team.

In the nightcap, Gannon jumped on California (Pa.) early with five runs during its first two at-bats. Evan Baglieri's (Niagara Falls, Ontario/St. Michael's) bases-loaded single down the right field line gave the Golden Knights a 2-0 lead during the first inning.

The lead extended to 5-0 with a three-spot during the top of the second inning. Dylan Schwegler (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell Area) drove home the first run with a single, before Tim Lipp (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) scored on a wild pitch. Following a 57-minute rain delay, Michael Tomko's (Sharon, Pa./Sharon) RBI ground-out capped the three-run outburst.

California (Pa.) did respond with three runs of its own during the bottom of the second inning. The score remained the same for the next three frames until Gannon created some breathing room with two-out lightning during the sixth inning.

Lipp and Tomko produced back-to-back two-out RBI singles with the bases loaded, stretching the lead to 7-3. The home squad added one run during the seventh inning, before Gannon slammed the door shut on a 7-4 victory.

Lipp and Baglieri had two hits each during the second game. Lipp was 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI. Baglieri finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Tomko also drove home a pair of runs. Schwegler and Michael Brosius (North Tonawanda, N.Y./North Tonawanda) touched home plate two times each.

Landon Wahl (Somerset, Pa./Somerset Area) improved to 7-4 with his fifth complete game of the season. The senior right-hander allowed four runs (two earned) on eight hits. He struck out two and walked three.

In the opener, California's Justin Taylor was awful tough while shutting out the Golden Knights. Gannon managed only six hits, but did put runners in scoring position during four of seven innings.

Head coach Nate Cocolin's squad had its best scoring chance during the fifth inning. Brosius doubled after a Ryan Turner (Pickering, Ontario/Dunbarton) single to put runners on second and third with one out. But Taylor held onto a 2-0 lead at the time with a strikeout and a ground-out.

California (Pa.) scored single runs during the second, fourth, fifth and sixth innings to account for the 4-0 verdict.

Brosius recorded three of Gannon's six hits in the first game. It was his second three-hit performance during the last three games. David Spaeder (Erie, Pa./Cathedral Prep) saw his record even at 2-2 despite allowing only four runs during his first complete game of the campaign. He struck out a season-high six hitters and walked one.

Gannon moved to 24-18 overall and 13-7 in the PSAC Western Division with Saturday's split. Cal, ranked seventh in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NBCWA) Atlantic regional rankings, is now 24-20 overall and 11-9 in conference play. The Golden Knights were 1-11 against Cal since entering the PSAC prior to the 2009 season, before taking three of four this weekend.

Gannon concludes the regular-season next weekend against Mercyhurst during a four-game series that will determine the PSAC Western Division regular-season champion. The series kicks off Friday, April 27 with a doubleheader at Gannon University Field. The series then shifts to the Mercyhurst baseball field Saturday, April 28 for another twinbill. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. both days.