The California University baseball team is closing in on another Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division title.

The Vulcans have won or shared the title five of the past seven years under coach Mike Conte.

"Our goal is to win another Western Division title, but we still have a long way to go with eight conference games left," Conte said Thursday. "We have the talent required to win another title, but have to take it one game at a time."

California has posted four consecutive 30-win seasons and is closing in on a fifth. The Vulcans entered Friday's doubleheader at Shippensburg with a 23-11 overall record, and led the PSAC West with a 9-3 mark.

"The conference is very competitive," said Conte, in his 12th season with the Vulcans. "The top four teams in the Western Division are within two games of each other."

The Vulcans feature seven players who have been voted to the PSAC-West All-Star team during their careers, including four first-team selections, Drew Aniceti, Robert Hedrick, Jeremy Potter and Chris Novia.

Aniceti, a senior second baseman from Blackhawk High School, is a three-time all-conference choice who was chosen Western Division Rookie of the Year in 2005. Aniceti is batting .370 with 20 runs and 21 RBI, but had missed 10 games due to a thumb injury.

"Drew has been out two weeks," said Conte. "I'm not sure when he will be back."

Hedrick, a senior infielder/pitcher from Suffolk, Va., was a first-team selection in his first two seasons with the Vulcans, but missed most of last season with an arm injury. Hedrick is batting .388 with 27 runs and 22 RBIs.

Potter, a senior from Philipsburg-Osceola, was a first-team selection last season after splitting time at first and third base. He is currently playing third base and boasts a .394 average.

Novia, a senior from Ontario, was voted to the first team as a designated hitter last season. This season, he is struggling with a .135 average.

The three Vulcans who have been voted to the PSAC West second-team are right fielder Alex Lefcakis, left fielder Ryan Yost and right-handed pitcher Andrew Rafalski.

Lefcakis, a senior from Plum who was recognized last season, is hitting .229. Yost, a senior from Montour who bats leadoff, is hitting .387 with 25 runs scored. Rafalski, also a senior from Montour, has a 4-2 record with a 5.38 earned run average and two complete games.

"It's been a unified team effort," said Conte, who has a 300-219-4 career record. "We have had many players make contributions in many different ways."

Rafalski is one of six pitchers who have started four or more games. The others are Randy Sturgill, Corry Ryan, Jon Squeglia, Jay Mitaly and Ryan Heeman.

Sturgill (4-0, 2.57 ERA) is a freshman lefty from Leechburg. Ryan (3-2, 4.14 ERA) is a junior from Bethel Park. Squeglia (2-1, 5.04 ERA) is a senior lefty from Shaler. Mitaly (3-1, 5.86 ERA) is a junior from Penn-Trafford. Heeman (3-1, 6.20 ERA) is a sophomore from Philipsburg-Osceola.

"Most of our conference games are played in four-game sets over two days, two at home and two on the road," said Conte. "A schedule like that is very demanding on a pitching staff. It's easy to have a staff become taxed unless you have enough pitching depth. We are very fortunate to have a strong pitching staff and a good pitching coach in Chris Brunson."

The Vulcans most productive hitter has been Sam DiMatteo, a sophomore catcher and outfielder from Center. DiMatteo leads the team with a .409 average, 35 runs scored, seven home runs and 36 RBIs.

"Sam has a good blend of power and speed," Conte said. "He's having a great season."

Others who have started 15 or more games are center fielder Jon Selby and catcher Stephen Hermann. Selby, a junior from New Brighton, is hitting .296 with 19 runs scored and 18 RBIs. Hermann, a junior from Penn-Trafford, is hitting .316 with 19 runs scored, four home runs and 24 RBIs.