CALIFORNIA, Pa. – No. 10 California (Pa.) scored the winning run during its final at-bat twice Sunday afternoon and swept a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Western Division doubleheader against No. 20 Gannon. The Vulcans posted the sweep by scores of 3-2 and 6-4.
Sunday's match-up was a battle of two nationally-ranked teams. Cal is ranked 10th in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) national rankings while Gannon is tabbed 20th.
In the opener, California took an early 2-0 lead with single runs during its first two at-bats. Gannon took advantage of a Cal miscue to tie the game in the sixth.
Alexa Archambeault (Horseheads, N.Y./Horseheads) hit a grounder to short with the bases loaded and two outs, but a wild throw allowed the tying runs to score.
Gannon missed two opportunities to take the lead. A bouncer back to the mound ended the sixth-inning threat with runners on the corners. In the seventh, a pop-out ended another threat with runners on first and second. Cal then made Gannon pay when Stephani Ellis ended a seven-pitch at-bat with a lead-off home on a 3-2 pitch in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Samantha Scott (New Baltimore, Mich./Anchor Bay) and
Kirstie Cortazzo (Jeannette, Pa./Jeannette) led the offensive attack with two hits and one run each.
Megan Dragon (Ashtabula, Ohio/Edgewood) was the tough-luck loser on the mound despite tossing her 10th complete game of the season. The senior allowed three runs on five hits, before dropping to 10-3.
If the first game didn't end with enough of a heartbreaker, the nightcap proved to be even tougher. Gannon pounced on Cal with four runs during the top of the first inning.
After Scott scored the first run on a
Jess Rectenwald (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Hills) RBI ground-out,
Alyssa Bates (Greensburg, Pa./Hempfield) drilled a three-run bomb.
Cal scratched across one run in the bottom of the first, before the two teams battled through a scoreless stand-off for the next four innings. But it was the bottom of the sixth inning that proved to be Gannon's heartbreaker.
A lead-off homer by Breanna Morris cut the deficit to 4-2, but Gannon immediately recorded two outs after the round-tripper. However, a fielding error kept the inning alive and eventually led to four more unearned runs. Erica Vallecorsa's two-run double turned a 4-3 deficit into a 5-4 lead.
Gannon had one last chance to tie the game despite the rough sixth inning. Trailing 6-4 in the top of the seventh, the Lady Knights had the potential tying runs in scoring position with two outs. But an infield pop-up ended the threat, giving Cal the improbable sweep.
Bates finished the nightcap 3-for-4 with one run and three RBIs. Cortazzo and Archambeault recorded two hits each. Rectenwald dropped to 2-3 on the mound despite allowing only two earned runs out of the six.
Gannon dropped to 19-6 overall and 4-4 in the PSAC Western Division with its fourth consecutive loss. California (Pa.) improved to 23-1 overall and 7-1 in conference play with its ninth straight win. In the process, the Vulcans increased their division lead over Gannon to three games.
Head coach
Tom Jakubowski's club returns to action Tuesday, April 16 at Mansfield. The PSAC crossover twinbill is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
