The California Vulcans baseball team is looking to bounce back this spring after missing out on the 2024 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) tournament. Their impressive 28-18 record could only net them a 5th-place finish in the PSAC West, marking their first time without postseason baseball since 2018. With a mostly returning squad, the Vulcans are looking to run things back in 2025 and make a push towards the PSAC title and beyond. Spearheading this charge is a highly decorated tandem, senior infielder/designated hitter Payton Conte and junior relief pitcher Jake Kramer. After receiving All Region 1st Team honors from the National Baseball Collegiate Writers Association (NCBWA) in 2024, the Vulcan duo have both received preseason All-American honors from the NCBWA and DivIIBaseball.com for the upcoming 2025 season.
Conte, the local product from California, PA, had one of the most impressive hitting seasons that the Vulcans have had in recent memory. The 2024 PSAC West Athlete of the Year posted a career-high in hits (46), home runs (3), batting average (.469), slugging (.663), and on-base percentage (.526). His .469 batting average in 2024 was the highest single-season mark in school history. The hard-hitting infielder/designated hitter recently received preseason 3rd Team All-American honors from the writers at DivIIBaseball.com, adding to an impressive list of awards for the senior.
Kramer, coming off of an accolade-laden 2024 campaign, has received preseason 1st Team All-American honors from both the NCBWA and DivIIBaseball.com for the 2025 season. The righty reliever from Greensburg, PA, posted a school record 10 saves in 2024 and is tied with Dave Yasenchak (1980-83) for the Vulcans’ all-time leader in career saves with 16. The 2024 Division 2 Conference Commissioner’s Association (D2CCA) and NCBWA 2nd Team All-American also boasted an impressive 4-1 record, 1.47 ERA, 26 strikeouts, and a .155 batting average against in 30 ⅔ innings of relief for California this past season.
The elite duo for California looks to be vital cogs in the well-oiled machine led by 29th-year head coach Mike Conte. Predicted to finish 4th in the PSAC West preseason poll, the Vulcans look to exceed expectations and establish themselves as one of the top teams in the Atlantic region. The Vulcans season begins later this month and for more information on Vulcan baseball, head on over to calvulcans.com.
