Vulcans earn bid into NCAA baseball tournament
For the first time in 15 years, the PennWest California baseball team is in the NCAA Division II tournament.
The Vulcans earned the fourth seed as an at-large selection in the Atlantic Regional it was announced Sunday night.
The Vulcans (38-13) will play at 11 a.m. Thursday against fifth-seeded Seton Hill (37-15) in the opening round at Cooper Park in Millersville. The Vulcans, Griffins and top-seeded Marauders (42-8) will play in the double-elimination regional tournament with the winner advancing to the best-of-three NCAA Super Regional May 22-24.
“I was very proud of our players (in the PSAC tournament last week),” longtime Vulcans coach Mike Conte said of the team’s runner-up finish. “We continue to support each other and this team is the true essence of family.”
The Vulcans sealed their at-large selection last week when they advanced to the PSAC championship game for the first time since 2010. They won four of six games, while playing four games against nationally ranked opponents, including three versus the host Marauders.
Senior first baseman Santino Marra – a Laurel Highlands graduate — had three hits Saturday against Millersville. He moved into a tie with Sam DiMatteo (2007-10) and Mick Fennell (2013-16) for second-place in school history with 223 career hits, one shy of the all-time record.
Senior left fielder Ryan Callahan and senior third baseman Payton Conte, who is a California Area High School graduate and the coach’s son, both reached and passed the 50 RBI mark this season, only the third time (2009, 2010) in school history multiple players accomplished the feat in the same season. Callahan also surpassed 70 hits to become the 13th player to reach the milestone.
The Vulcans entered Saturday needing to earn a victory to force the if necessary game in the PSAC tournament. Freshmen pitchers Coleman Fletcher and Colin Watson combined on a four-hit shutout against Millersville. Fletcher (2-0) earned the win while making just his second appearance since March 18, scattering three hits and three walks over five scoreless innings. Watson registered his first career save after working four shutout innings.
“I think that culture (always striving to get better) has really flourished on this year’s team,” Conte explained. “I think the players really believe in each other and really have developed true friendships.
“We are very excited and honored to be involved in the regional tournament and we are all hopeful that we can build momentum moving forward.”
Cal hit at .340 in six games in the PSAC tournament. Right fielder James Salvatori led the Vulcans with a .478 average (11-for-23) and tied for the team lead with eight RBIs. Center fielder Ikon Jones was tops with a .609 on-base percentage and scored seven runs, and second baseman Nathan Meeks pounded out 10 hits to finish with a .417 average, going 10 for 24. The Vulcans used 13 pitchers in the tournament and compiled a 3.42 ERA.
The Vulcans’ 38 wins is a single-season school record. This will be their sixth appearance in the national tournament.
In the other half of the bracket in the Atlantic Region, West Chester (35-15) earned hosting rights as the second seed despite being eliminated by Cal on the opening day of the PSAC tournament. East Stroudsburg (35-14) received the third seed and will open play against Fairmont State (26-26), which earned the automatic qualifier from the Mountain East Conference because league-champion Point Park is ineligible for the NCAA postseason as part of its transitioning from NAIA to NCAA Division II.