MILLERSVILLE, Pa. - Millersville head coach Jon Shehan keeps saying it, and Matthew Williams keeps making the mantra a reality: "Never more than one at-bat away." Williams' two-run, walk-off home run off All-America closer Jake Kramer capped a five-run bottom of the ninth, helping Millersville to a 6-4 win over California (Pa.) on day one of the NCAA Atlantic Regional. 

California dropped the first game of the regional to Seton Hill but was on the verge of staving off elimination with a 4-1 lead against the top-seeded Marauders. Millersville hadn't scored since Keegan Soltis, the second batter of the game, singled in Jeff Sabater in the bottom of the first. Kramer, the PSAC's all-time saves leader, was 4-0 with 11 saves and hadn't lost a game in nearly 13 months. But the Marauders slowly chipped away at the Vulcans' closer: a single from Sam Morris; Troy Chamberlin's double off the glove of a diving Ikon Jones in left-center; a run-scoring single from Amani Jones; a squeeze bunt from Donis Rodriguez; a single from Jeff Sabater and the game-tying run scored on a balk call. Then, with two down and facing a 0-2 count, Williams scorched a 91-mile per hour fastball deep over the left-center field wall, completing an epic comeback. 

"We always tell ourselves that we are 'one at-bat away when we are down,'" said Williams. "We've done that a lot this year."

The home run was Williams' second clutch, postseason home run in less than a week. His ninth-inning home run against Seton Hill in the PSAC Semifinals forced extra innings. This homer was his Millersville record-tying 16th of the season. He saw Kramer in the eighth and struck out swinging on a fastball down and away. Williams chopped Kramer's first fastball foul down the third base line. Williams then cut through a diving slider to fall behind 0-2. Instead of staying with the slider away, Kramer tried to get Williams to chase a fastball up and out of the zone. It was the same mistake that Seton Hill made in the PSAC Tournament. 

"I'm just trying to drive the ball in the gap," said Williams. "I got down 0-2, and I was just protecting...I was (surprised) he came back with the fastball. The pitch before was an ugly swing. But it worked out." 

Millersville totaled just five hits in the first eight innings but recorded five in the ninth. Of those early five hits, three came with two outs. California also finished with 10 hits, and all four of their runs came on three home runs. After the first two hitters of the game, Cal starter Nathan Holmes held Millersville scoreless for seven innings. Millersville managed only a two-out walk against Kramer in the eighth. 

"We hit eight or nine balls on the screws early in the game and most of them were outs," said Millersville head coach Jon Shehan. "We didn't execute a few times. Didn't get bunts down. We should have stolen a base, we didn't get the steal and it ended up being an inning-ending double play. There were a lot of things we didn't capitalize on early, but the vibe with this offense is that we are always just one at-bat away. They believe it. They believe they can score in bunches and score fast."

Morris was the right Marauder to lead off the ninth. He finished the game 3 for 4, and his line drive single to center got the inning started. Chamberlin put two runners in scoring position when he lined a double into the gap that was very nearly snared by Jones. No. 8 hitter Amani Jones singled between second and first, driving in the first run of the inning. With no outs, Shehan called on Rodriguez to execute a safety squeeze. Rodriguez got the bunt down the first base line after fouling off his first attempt. Kramer initially bobbled the ball, and his only play was at first base. Sabater extended the inning with a single, putting runners on first and third with one out. Millersville immediately put Sabater in motion. Keegan Soltis squared to bunt, but before the pitch came home, Kramer was called for a balk, bringing the tying run to the plate. 

"I was on the third-base umpire in the previous inning about (Kramer) rolling through," said Shehan. "I thought he definitely balked. They made a big call, and it helped us a lot."

Soltis flew out to center, setting up Williams with Sabater on second base. 

"That last inning is what our team is all about," said Williams. "Barreling the ball, having good at-bats, playing for each other. Everyone did that. That's when our team is dangerous."

Joe Morrissey picked up the mound win for Millersville, pitching 3 1/3 shutout innings, allowing just one hit.

"Morrissey had his best outing of the year," said Shehan. "He kept those guys in check and gave our guys a chance to come back and win the game."

The game was the fourth meeting between Millersville and Cal since May 8, as they played three times in the PSAC Tournament. Millersville now tangles with a familiar postseason foe, Seton Hill, on Friday at noon. The teams have met in eight regional tournaments since 2011. Last season, Seton Hill handed Millersville its two season-ending losses, while it was Millersville that ended Seton Hill's season in the 2023 regional.