BOX SCORE

IMMACULATA, Pa.- The Immaculata baseball team (14-17, 5-11 CSAC) hosted Cairn (7-28, 1-15 CSAC) on Senior Day on Friday afternoon and pounded out 18 hits on their way to a big 18-6 victory to keep their playoff hopes alive.  Seniors Matt Hardy, T.J. Warner, Andrew Dietrich, Aaron Dietrich, and Joseph Caria were all playing their last games at Immaculata and all contributed in a big way to the win.  They combined to go 5-for-10 with three runs scored and 4 RBIs at the plate, and pitched five innings surrendering three earned runs on five hits.
 
Both Hardy (4 RBIs, 2 R) and freshman third baseman Robert Wallace (2 RBIs, 2 R) had a single, double, and triple at the plate for the Mighty Macs
 
In the first, Hardy doubled to right center field for the first hit of the day for the Mighty Macs.  After moving to third on a throwing error by the pitcher, junior second baseman Elijah Vottero (2-for-3, 3 RBIs, 3 R, SB) hit a sacrifice fly to left to give Caria an early 1-0 advantage.
 
Cairn would take a brief lead with two runs in the top of the second, but the Mighty Macs quickly tied it on a sacrifice fly by junior center fielder Billy Gaines (2-for-3, R, 2 RBIs) to score Wallace.
 
The Highlanders again broke the tie in the third with a run, but Caria avoided further trouble by catching a bunt and doubling the runner off for the final out of the inning.
 
It would be the final inning of work for Caria (1-2) in his final home game as a Mighty Mac.  The senior sent three innings and surrendered three earned runs for the victory.
 
The Mighty Macs re-took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the third to go up 4-3.  Vottero hit an infield single with one out and moved to second on a stolen base with two outs.  Freshman designated hitter Michael Lascomb (2-for-4, 2 R, 4 RBIs) then delivered an RBI double to the left-center gap and Wallace followed that up with an RBI triple down the left field to get Immaculata the lead back through three innings.
 
Immaculata would put the game out of reach in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings when they combined for 14 runs to take a commanding lead.  In the fourth, back-to-back bunt singles by Gaines and sophomore rightfielder Matthew Lawson (2-for-5, 3 R) loaded the bases before Hardy was hit by a pitch to force in a run.  Vottero brought home another run with a fielder's choice and junior shortstop Joe DiGiaimo (1-for-4, 2 R, RBI) singled through the left side for another run.
 
In the fifth, Gaines brought home a run with an RBI double and Hardy hit an RBI single to make it 11-3 through five innings.
 
The game was put out of reach in the sixth with seven runs by the Mighty Macs.  Lascomb hit a two-run single, Wallace hit an RBI double, Hardy delivered a two-run triple, and Vottero hit an RBI single to finish off the Immaculata scoring.
 
Freshman Dan Whalen went four innings in relief surrendering just one run on four hits.
 
Senior Andrew Dietrich finished off the game throwing two innings with no earned runs and two strikeouts.
 
The Mighty Macs will now travel to Cairn tomorrow for a doubleheader with an outside chance at reaching the playoffs.  The twin bill starts at noon.