Pitt-Johnstown couldn't quite crack the code in a 6-0 loss to California (Pa.) in the opener before enduring a back-and-forth 17-9 defeat in the nightcap to wrap up a PSAC West doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon.
The Mountain Cats dropped to 5-17 overall with a 2-8 mark in the conference. The Vulcans moved to 11-10 overall and 9-4 in the PSAC West.
The opener became an uphill battle from the onset after Cal's Caleigh Rister hit a three-run home run as part of a four-run first inning that helped set the tone. Senior Tori Radvan recorded a pair of singles, including a leadoff hit in the first, but was left stranded on both occasions as Rister limited the Mountain Cats to just five hits. Shaylin Hagerman doubled, and Kayla Miehl and Julia Mooney each had a base-hit.
Rister earned the win in the circle after throwing a complete-game with nine strikeouts compared to just one walk. Sophomore Mia Smith took the loss after scattering 11 hits with five strikeouts and five walks in a complete-game effort.
The second contest went in a vastly different direction as the two teams racked up 33 combined hits in just six innings. Three players accounted for 10 of the Mountain Cats' 17 hits spearheaded by Radvan's 4-for-5 performance that included an RBI single, a double and two runs scored.
Freshman Meghan McDonough and sophomore Brynnae Coe both tallied three hits and scored a run as each enjoyed a three-hit game for the first time in their respective careers.Â
Miehl's solo home run in the second inning marked the 100th hit of her accomplished career and provided the Mountain Cats with their first and only lead of the game at 6-5. Mooney preceded that shot with a three-run home run with two outs that tied the game at 5-all and highlighted a six-run second inning that breathed life into the Mountain Cats.
After neither team scratched the scoreboard in the third or fourth innings, the Vulcans benefitted from three errors to score seven runs on six hits and take a 12-6 advantage they would never let slip away.
Radvan singled, McDonough doubled and both came around to score on Mooney's two-RBI single that cut the deficit to 12-8 in the bottom of the fifth. Coe's single with one out combined with an error by the Vulcans allowed pinch-runner Sydney Mitchell to score from second and make it 12-9.
Any hopes of a comeback from there were dashed when Cal chalked up five more runs on four hits in the sixth. Rister, who threw two more innings of relief, worked around a single by McDonough and brought the game to an end.
Julia Shinavski pitched all six innings and was tagged with the loss in the circle for the Mountain Cats.
Pitt-Johnstown hosts Indiana (Pa.) in a PSAC West doubleheader on Wednesday beginning at 2 p.m. before welcoming Edinboro to Johnstown on Friday for another doubleheader that will start at the same time.
