GROVE CITY, Pa. -- The Grove City College baseball team closed the 2025 regular season Friday afternoon by splitting a Presidents' Athletic Conference doubleheader with visiting Saint Vincent. Saint Vincent (18-20, 11-9) won the opener, 6-3, but Grove City (27-10, 16-4) rebounded for a 16-6 win in Game Two at Jack Behringer Field.

The Wolverines recorded seven extra-base hits in the nightcap, including a three-run home run in the first inning from senior right fielder Josh Minnich (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley) and a two-run blast from senior second baseman Luke Vittone (Seven Fields, Pa./Eden Christian) in the fourth inning. 

Vittone also doubled for Grove City while senior DH Shane Cato (New Castle, Pa./Shenango) went 3 for 5 with a double and two runs batted in. Sophomore third baseman Sam Bevin (Louisville, Ky./Wake County) doubled and singled. Sophomore left fielders Dan Luko (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) and Caleb Backos (Troy, Mich./Bloomfield Christian) also doubled. 

Junior center fielder Nick Sampson (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) singled, walked three times and scored three runs. 

Following Minnich's three-run blast in the first inning, freshman shortstop Sam Meredith (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan) scored on an error and Cato then scored on Luko's double. The lead grew to 8-0 in the second inning as Bevin scored on Minnich's sacrifice fly, Sampson came home on a Meredith groundout and Vittone doubled in junior first baseman Colin Marinpetro (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny).

Vittone's home run pushed the lead to 10-0. Saint Vincent scored six times in the top of the fifth inning but the Wolverines sewed up the win with six runs over the final three innings. Senior catcher Sam DiStefano (Fairview, Pa./Fairview) scored on a wild pitch in the fifth inning and Backos's two-run double brought home Cato and Vittone in the next inning. Cato's two-run single in the seventh inning scored sophomore pinch runner David Chandler (Leesburg, Va./St. John's) and freshman first baseman John McIntyre (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal). 

Cato's hit ended the game due to the 10-run rule. 

Sophomore pitcher Michael Earman (Grove City, Pa./Grove City) earned the win by pitching three scoreless innings of relief. He struck out two and did not allow a hit. Sophomore pitcher Jack Houston (Vienna, Va./Vienna) started and allowed six runs in four innings. He struck out four and walked one. 

Vittone homered and tripled in Game One but Grove City could not erase an early 4-0 deficit. Sampson and junior left fielder Andrew Seest (Fort Collins, Colo./Fort Collins) both went 2 for 4. Freshman DH Kallen Durbin (Harmony, Pa./Seneca Valley) doubled. 

Sophomore pitcher Bryce Trischler (Mars, Pa./Shady Side Academy) pitched 7 1/3 innings but took the setback. He allowed six runs while striking out two. Sophomore David Gallagher (Coraopolis, Pa./Montour) pitched 1 2/3 innings of hitless relief. 

Friday's games marked the final home games for Grove City's decorated six-man senior class: Cato, DiStefano, Minnich, Vittone, pitcher David Leslie (Butler, Pa./Butler) and pitcher Evan Umland (Pasadena, Calif./La Canada). Cato earned First Team All-PAC at DH as a sophomore in 2023. DiStefano is a two-year team captain, who is hitting a career-best .293 this season. Minnich has earned All-PAC and All-Region honors.

Vittone became Grove City's all-time leader in games played Friday as he has now appeared in 159 games. His 198 hits are the most in program history as are his 156 career runs. Vittone is a three-time All-PAC selection. Leslie (8-1) earned First Team All-PAC in 2023 and currently leads the conference with 68 strikeouts. Umland earned All-PAC in each of his first three seasons. 

Grove City will be the No. 2 seed in next week's six-team conference tournament. The tournament will be held Wednesday-Saturday at Washington & Jefferson College's Ross Memorial Park. The tournament pairings will be determined after the weekend's games in the conference.