(WASHINGTON, Pa.) – A six-run rally over the fourth and fifth innings of the first game led Walsh its first win of the year as the Cavaliers split a doubleheader with California today. The Cavaliers (1-3) won the first game 6-5 before they fell to the Vulcans 7-1 in the final game of the four-game series.

Down 4-0 after three frames, Luke Caple (Jr., Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast) got the Cavaliers on the board on a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Jason McPeek (Sr., Stow, Ohio/Munroe Falls). Johnny Knight IV (Jr., Jefferson, Ohio/Jefferson) then singled up the middle to score Austin Szink (R-Jr., Canton, Ohio/Jackson) who advanced to third on the previous play.

Four more runs came in the top of the fifth with two outs. McPeek drove in Eric Conner (Fr., Cincinnati, Ohio/Moeller) on a single to left and then scored in the next play when Szink doubled down the left field line. After a pitching change, Andrew Stalnaker (Jr., Canton, Ohio/Jackson) singled to left to score Szink. Caple added another RBI with a triple to left center that scored Stalnaker.

Cal struck back in the fifth with a solo home run to make the score 6-5, but the Vulcans could get no closer. Kyle Ward (Sr., Independence, Ohio/Padua Fanciscan) picked up the win after he came on in the fifth inning in relief. He gave up just one hit in 1.1 innings of work. Tyson Lautanen (Jr., Painesville, Ohio/Fairport Harbor) picked up his first collegiate save after he replaced Ward in the seventh.

In the second game, Cal scored five runs over the first four innings and held on for the 7-1 win. The lone Cavalier run came in the fifth when James Thomas (Jr., Columbus, Ohio/Newark) singled to center to bring in Conner to make the score 5-1.

Walsh now heads to Nashville, Tenn., for three regional games. First up will be a non-conference showdown with Wayne State (Mich.) this Friday at 3 p.m. The Cavs will follow up with games against Trevecca Nazarene and Quincy.