SLIPPERY ROCK— There was no doubleheader sweep Saturday at Critchfield Park — unless your name is Nick Squeglia.

The Glenshaw man watched both of his sons earn wins on the mound as Slippery Rock University and Califiornia (Pa.) split the baseball twinbill.

Squeglia's son, Chris, is a senior right-hander for The Rock. His son, Jon, is a junior left-hander for California.

"It's usually hard on me when SRU and Cal play each other because I feel like I'm rooting against one of my sons no matter what I do,"Squeglia said. "But in a situation like this, it's easy."

Chris Squeglia pitched a complete-game for SRU (14-11, 4-4)in Game 1, overcame a three-run homer by Stephen Hermann in the first inning and defeated the Vulcans, 9-4.

Jon Squeglia worked the first five innings in Game 2 for California (15-10, 5-3), struck out five and allowed eight hits in a 10-3 triumph.

Their father watched the first game wearing SRUgarb. He changed into California garb for the nightcap. He taped the performance of both sons.

"I've got caps, T-shirts and sweatshirts from both schools," he said. "I had to come prepared today."

The Squeglia boys attended Shaler High School. Chris transferred to SRUafter originally going to Allegheny College. Jon went to California to join the school's communications program.

The elder Squeglia fell behind quickly when Hermann drilled a fastball over the right field fence for a two-out, three-run homer in the first inning.

"That pitch was a mistake,"SRUcoach Jeff Messer said. "We didn't want to throw any fastballs to that kid. That was a splitter that just flattened out."

Pitcher Squeglia agreed.

"That one was on me," he said. "When the ball leaves the park, it's clearly on the pitcher. My teammates had my back today and I'm thankful for that."

The Rock tied the game with three runs of its own in the bottom of the inning. SRUtook the lead for good with a four-spot in the third frame.

Every player in SRU's lineup had a hit in Game 1. Leadoff batter Rich Michalek paced the 13-hit attack with a double, two singles and three RBI. Jim Eimiller added a double, single and two RBIwhile Grove City product Billy Herman had two singles and two RBI.

Squeglia threw 25 pitches in the first inning, but only 99 in the game. He struck out five and allowed only one run and three hits in the final six innings.

"Watching us score those three runs in the bottom of the first settled me down,"he said. "I pitched well against these guys last year and lost. I didn't want to see it happen again."

Squeglia improved to 3-2 on the season in beating the four-time defending PSACWest champions.

"The fact his brother pitches for California adds to the pressure out there,"Messer said.

Jon Squeglia got the Vulcans even by beating Rock ace Rich Hocanson, who entered the game with a 3-0 record an a 1.57 earned run average.

California got to Hocanson with six consecutive hits — leading to four runs — in the third inning. The Vulcans wound up with 14 hits, three each from Drew Aniceti and Ryan Yost.

The younger Squeglia preserved his early lead in the bottom of the third by striking out The Rock's leading hitter, Scott Bender, with runners at second and third and one out. He then got clean-up hitter Matt Adams to look at a third strike with the bases loaded.

Jon Squeglia improved to 2-1 with the win.

Sunday SRU 7, California 6 California 3, SRU 2

The teams squared off for another doubleheader on Sunday, this time at Consol Energy Park. Bender's sole home run in the top of the eighth inning gave SRU the victory in Game 1.

Matt Messer had two hits while M.J. Parsons had three RBI without the benefit of a hit and Bender had two RBI.

Trailing 6-1, Cal had plated three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning and two more in the seventh inning to knot the game at 7 before Bender's heroics.

In the nightcap, Adams had a two-run single in the first inning and Bender a run-scoring single in the second for an early 3-1 lead, but the Vulcans (15-10, 5-3) scored three unanswered runs to post the win.