BRIDGEPORT, W.Va. – The Fairmont State (9-27) baseball team dropped a doubleheader to California (Pa.) (18-14) on Tuesday (April 18) in a midweek regional battle at the Bridge Sports Complex in Bridgeport, W.Va.

Game One – Cal U 8, Fairmont State 5 (8 innings)

The Vulcans struck first in the first inning with a sacrifice fly. Cal scored three runs in the third on an RBI double, a sac fly and a solo home run to build a 4-0 lead. Fairmont State answered back in the bottom of the third inning with a sacrifice fly by Ryan Goff, which allowed Connor Bailey to score, followed by a single by Vince Sabatino to left field that brought Bailey home. Fairmont State trailed 4-2 after three.

The Vulcans scored a run in the fourth on a base hit to make it 5-2. Fairmont State evend the score at 5-5 when Sabatino singled through the left side, scoring Sikoski, followed by a double by Alex Tennant to left field that brought Miller and Goff home to tie the game, 5-5. Both teams were held scoreless in the sixth and seventh to force extra innings.

The Vulcans secured the lead in the top of the eighth inning with a hit by pitch, a walk and an error all with the bases loaded and led 8-5 heading to the bottom of the 8^th. The Falcons got one runner on base in the 8^th but the Vulcans recorded the final outs to win game one in extras, 8-5.

Sabatino, Tennant and Miller all ended up with a pair of hits in the opener. Sabatino and Tennant both finished with two RBIs. Andrew Coursin struck out four hitters in four innings of relief work and allowed just one run to keep the Falcons in the game.

Game Two – Cal U 12, Fairmont State 8

The Falcons jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning after the Vulcans threw four walks. Hudson Smith walked with the bases loaded to put the Falcons on the board. With two outs, Quintin Reep singled on the infield that brought in Goff to pull the Falcons ahead, 2-0. After Cal scored in the second, Smith singled through the left side and scored Noah Armstrong to put the Falcons back ahead by two runs. Both teams scored one run in the fourth inning and Goff picked up a two-out hit to right field that scored Miller to make the score 4-2 after four innings.

In the fifth inning, the Vulcans scored two runs to tie the game at 4-4. Fairmont State regained the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning with a walk by Nick Schroader that scored Jarrod Jones. After a wild pitch that scoered Smith, Miller continued his big day at the plate with a triple to right field to complete a four-run fifth for Fairmont State. The Vulcans offense surged in the sixth and seventh innings, scoring a combined eight runs. Jake Kramer recorded a six out save for Cal and the Vulcans won game two, 12-8.

The Fairmont State hitters accumulated 12 walks in the second game, with five different Falcons each working a pair of walks. Peyton Brown started the game for the Falcons and completed three innings while allowing only one run on one strikeout.

Up Next

The Fairmont State baseball team returns to Mountain East Conference play this weekend at Wheeling. The four-game set will now begin on Friday (April 21) in Wheeling with first pitch set at 1 p.m.