JOHNSTOWN, Pa. -- After being held hitless in game one of Tuesday's 2-0 PSAC Western Division doubleheader against California (Pa.) at Point Stadium, Pitt-Johnstown bounced back with 12 hits in the nightcap, including Jake Stern's bases loaded, walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth to help the Mountain Cats split with a 4-3 win. Pitt-Johnstown is now 16-20 overall and 11-9 in conference-play.
In Game 1, Jack Dennis held the Mountain Cats hitless and allowed just one base runner in the 2-0 victory. Dennis retired the first 11 Mountain Cat batters, before hitting Jake Warner with a curveball in the fourth inning. Dennis then went on to get the next 10 in order to secure the no-hitter. He struck out six and didn't allow a walk.
The Vulcans scored single runs in each of the first two innings off of Pitt-Johnstown starter Derek Younker. That was all Dennis needed.
Younker took the loss and slipped to 5-3. Younker gave up the two runs on four hits over the first three innings. Dominic Kriner held California (Pa.) scoreless the rest of the way. Kriner surrendered two hits and fanned one.
In Game 2, Kyle Morrow drove in the first three Pitt-Johnstown runs, but California (Pa.) tied it at three with a pair of runs in the in the top of the sixth. However, Stern's walk-off base hit in the ninth gave the Mountain Cats the 4-3 victory.
With one out in the bottom of the ninth, Ernesto Rizzitano doubled off of the left field screen, and Jake Warner moved him to third with a base hit. The Vulcans intentionally walked Kyle Morrow to load the bases. Stern then lined a single to right field that chased home Rizzitano with the game winning run.
Morrow went 3-for-3 with 3 RBI and was intentionally walked twice. Rizzitano had three hits, while Brett Marabito and Warner each collected two hits.
Ryan Socol gave up just two hits in 3.2 scoreless innings in relief of starter Rylan Schnably to improve to 2-0. Schnably tossed the first 5.1 innings and allowed three runs on six hits.
With the split, California (Pa.) is now 21-16 overall and 9-11 in the PSAC West.
