Butler, Pa. - Millersville baseball's PSAC Championship defense started with a bang on Sunday against California (Pa.). Led by Dan Stoltzfus' four hits and nine RBIs, the Marauders rolled into the tournament's second round with a 22-4 victory.

Millersville (45-4) pounded out 18 hits, including four home runs, drew seven walks, four hit batsmen and stole four bases. The 22 runs were the most in Marauder postseason history and the fourth time this season they have topped 20 runs. Millersville has scored nine or more runs in seven of its last eight games.

Eight Marauders had at least one hit and six had at least two. The three starters that did not have hits reached base a combined nine times. Tyler Orris drew three walks, stole a base and scored four runs despite not recording a hit. He moved within one steal of Ernest McCoy's school record and remains one hit shy of Zach Stone's school record for hits.

It was California, however, that started the game with the lead. PSAC West Player of the Year Mick Fennell lined his first pitch for a triple and scored when the next batter, Danny McGrath singled. Starter Brandon Miller, who threw a complete game, two-hit shutout against Cal in the opening round of last season's PSAC Tournament, quickly settled after the first two batters. Miller sat down 15 in a row before the Vulcans managed another hit.

Millersville erased the 1-0 run deficit in the third. Dan Neff started the scoring with a sacrifice fly. And with two outs, Stoltzfus swatted a three-run homer--his sixth of the season. Starting with Stoltzfus the Marauders ripped off seven consecutive hits and scored five more runs--all coming with two outs.

The third inning set the rout in motion. Millersville scored two in the fourth, four in the fifth and six in the sixth. All but three of the runs were earned. The offensive explosion was capped in the eighth with John Brogan, Mitch Stoltzfus and Jeremy Musser led off the third inning with back-to-back-to-back home runs.

Cal starter Jack Dennis, an All-PSAC West selection, was tagged for seven runs in 2 2/3 innings. Cal was forced to use seven pitchers. Miller improved to 10-1 with the win, joining Chris Murphy as the only two Marauders with two seasons of 10 or more wins.

The 45th victory puts Millersville one away from the program record for wins in a season, which was set by the 2000 team. Millersville will now take on East Stroudsburg in a winners' bracket game Saturday at 3:30 p.m. It is a rematch of the 2015 tournament championship game.