West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

(WEST LAWN, PA)---Seton Hill scored in each of the final four innings, but the Griffins couldn't climb out of an early 5-0 hole and dropped a 6-5 elimination contest to California (PA) at the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional.

The Griffins left the tying and go-ahead runs on base in the ninth inning.  Pat Trettel opened the final frame with a walk, followed by a Tom Deangelis single to center.  Nick Erminio sacrificed the runners into scoring position with a bunt.

Mark Henry then popped up to shortstop for the inning's second out.  Luke Pisarcik kept SHU alive with an infield single that scored Trettel and moved pinch-runner Ed Skoneiczny to third.  However, Cal reliever Jim Kirker fanned Pat Kohl looking to preserve the one-run win for the Vulcans.

Solo homers by Chuck Faust and Troy Handza in the second and third innings gave PSAC champion California a 2-0 lead.  The Vulcans posted three more tallies in the fifth thanks to a two-RBI Aaron Ordy single and another run-scoring hit by Casey Teagarden.

SHU finally dented the scoreboard in the sixth when Henry singled home Trettel, but Cal responded with a run in their half of the sixth.  Adam Links brought Handza home with an unearned run that would eventually prove to be the game-winner as Cal led 6-1.

Trettel helped put Seton Hill back in the game with a two-run homer in the seventh that narrowed the gap to 6-3.  The senior catcher pushed his 2010 RBI total to 81, one short of the WVIAC single-season record of 82 set by West Virginia State's Kyle Jones in 2006.

The Griffins scratched out another run in the eighth.  Henry lashed a leadoff single to right, swiped second, and eventually scored on a two-out error by Cal third baseman Evan King.

Sean Welsh earned the victory for Cal.  He picked up his first win of the season against four defeats after giving up eight hits and five runs in eight innings.  He struck out seven and walked five during a gutsy 150-pitch outing.  Kirker gave up two hits in the ninth, but recorded his third save.

Andrew Dinardo took the loss and fell to 5-4.  He allowed seven hits and five runs in four innings.  He walked five and struck out three.  Jon Murphy and Christian Muth combined to allow no earned runs in four innings of relief for the Griffins.

Handza, a first team all-region selection, led the Vulcans with three hits and three runs scored.  Ordy added two hits to Cal's 11-hit attack.  Henry notched three hits for Seton Hill, while Deangelis also had a multiple-hit day with a pair.

Seton Hill, which had ten hits, stranded a dozen baserunners on the day.  The Griffins left runners on during eight of nine innings and were 2-for-13 with teammates in scoring postion. 

WVIAC champion Seton Hill, which won both regular season meetings against Cal, ends their season at 36-21.  Cal stays alive to battle defending regional champion West Chester later this evening.  The Vulcans move to 34-17.