W&J baseball gets 2nd seed in PAC Tournament
Though the Washington & Jefferson baseball team is not the top seed in this year’s Presidents’ Athletic Conference Tournament, they will still be the hosts.
The Presidents are the second seed and will play No. 5 Grove City in the first round at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at Ross Memorial Park in Washington.
Washington & Jefferson finished in a tie with Westminster at 17-5 atop the PAC standings, but Westminster swept the Presidents in a doubleheader on April 8 to earn the tiebreaker.
This is the first time Westminster has earned the No. 1 seed for the PAC Baseball Tournament.
Westminster opens the tournament against No. 6 Chatham at 11 a.m. and No. 3 Allegheny plays No. 4 Bethany at 6 p.m.
It is a double elimination tournament.
The Presidents split with Grove City in a doubleheader on April 18. Grove City won the first game 7-6 and Washington & Jefferson cruised in the nightcap, 13-1.
Waynesburg baseball sweeps
Waynesburg did not make the PAC baseball tournament, but did end its season on a high note by sweeping Thiel 8-5 and 7-6 Saturday.
It was the first time the Yellow Jackets (4-18, 13-27) swept a conference opponent in two years.
Kaden Flambard had a two-run single in the fifth inning that gave Waynesburg a 5-3 lead in game one. Brayden Krebbs followed with an RBI single.
Eli Boring had three hits and pitcher Zach Scibelli earned the win in his first collegiate start, allowing three runs over 5.1 innings.
Waynesburg had to rally to win game two after Thiel (4-18, 8-30) took a 6-2 lead in the seventh inning.
Boring started Waynesburg’s rally with a leadoff double in the eighth and later scored on a wild pitch. Flambard drew a bases loaded walk to cut the lead to two and Brayden Krebbs tied the game with a two-run single. Flambard scored on a passed ball for what proved to be the winning run.
West Greene grad Dalton Lucey pitched a clean nine to earn a save. Carmichaels grad Aydan ADamson picked up the win in relief, pitching 1.1 innings.
Cal stumbles at Slippery Rock
It was a tough Saturday at Slippery Rock for California, but the good news for the Vulcans is they still qualified for the PSAC Baseball Tournament.
Slippery Rock swept the Vulcans 2-1 and 7-5, to take three out of four in the series. The two teams were battling for fourth place in the PSAC West. California had to settle for fifth and the final spot in the PSAC Tournament field.
The Vulcans’ rally in game one fell short in game one. They trailed 2-0 entering the ninth and with two outs hit three straight singles, including one from Ikon Jones that cut the lead in half. California stranded the tying and go-ahead runs on second and third.
Alex Albes hit a two-run single as part of a five-run fourth inning, which tied the game, but Slippery Rock retook the lead with a run in the bottom half and added another in the sixth.
California plays Millersville in the first round of the PSAC tournament at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Slippery Rock’s Jack Critchfield Park. The winner advances to play Seton Hill at 1 p.m. Thursday.
Waynesburg softball falls
The Waynesburg softball team saw its season conclude Saturday afternoon with a 9-1 loss to Bethany in the PAC Tournament at Westminster.
Waynesburg finished the season 26-16.
Madie Cicero scored the Yellow Jackets’ lone run after a single by Brynn Charnesky and an error by the Bison allowed her to come home in the second inning.
Cal softball splits with UPJ
California concluded the regular season with a split at home against Pitt-Johnstown Sunday.
The Vulcans dropped the first game 8-3, but secured an 11-3 victory in game two.
Amarah McCutcheon homered in the sixth inning to cap game two. California scored seven runs in the second to build a comfortable lead.
Makayla Jerin drove in three runs and Kirra Davis had two RBI.
California (14-14, 19-27) finished fourth place in the PSAC West and earned a spot in the PSAC Softball Tournament this week in Binghamton, N.Y.
The Vulcans play West Chester in the first round, 11 a.m. Wednesday. It is a double-elimination tournament.