Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

FORT PIERCE, Fla.- The Mighty Macs (4-5) capped their Florida Coast Spring Training trip with a doubleheader sweep of the University of Northwestern (MN) by scores of 6-1 and 8-7 on Friday in Fort Pierce, Florida.
 
In game one, sophomore Dan Whalen (1-0) had a career-best outing and fell one out short of his first career complete game.  Whalen picked up the third win of his career with 6 2/3 innings on the mound and a career-high nine punch outs, and no walks.  He started well by keeping Northwestern off the scoreboard through three innings while picking up four strikeouts.
 
The Mighty Macs took advantage of the good effort from Whalen by jumping out to an early lead.  In the second IU sent nine hitters to the plate starting with sophomore first baseman Mike Lascomb (two runs scored), who walked to lead off the inning before freshman second baseman Nick Comito reached on an error to put two runners on with nobody out.  Freshman left fielder Howie Kalamets (1-for-4, R) picked up his fifth hit in three games with a single to load the bases.  Freshman Ryan Tecco (1-for-3, RBI) collected his first RBI with a single before sophomore centerfielder Mike Sciasci (2-for-3, RBI) and senior Eli Vottero (2-for-3, RBI) each drew bases loaded walks to stake Whalen to a 3-0 lead through two innings.
 
Lascomb would score an unearned run in the third with the help of a Comito single, who earned his second career multi-hit game, as the Mighty Macs had a 4-0 lead.
 
Whalen's only blemish of the day came in the fourth when Northwestern strung together three consecutive two-out hits to get them on the board at 4-1.
 
Whalen collected three more strikeouts in the fifth and sixth innings working around singles in both innings to send the game to the seventh with Immaculata still holding a three-run lead.
 
The Mighty Macs added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh with the help of some sloppy Northwestern defense.  Senior right fielder Alex Kobylinski (run scored) and Comito each scored unearned runs in the inning by virtue of errors to lift Immaculata to a 6-1 advantage.
 
Whalen retired the first two hitters in order and after surrendering a single, senior reliever Greg Binfield came in and finished off the game one victory.
 
In game two, the Mighty Macs erased an early 1-0 deficit with a four-run third to take a three-run lead.  Senior Eli Vottero (1-for-1, RBI, BB) and freshman Howie Kalamets (1-for-2, 2 RBIs) struck RBI singles while sophomore Rick DiDomenico and senior Patrick Boulware (2-for-3, 2 R, RBI) scored on an error and wild pitch, respectively.
 
Northwestern would add two runs in the top of the fourth to chase sophomore Mike Campisano from the game after four innings of work, three runs allowed and three strikeouts.
 
Senior Greg Binfield then allowed two runs in the top of the fifth to give Northwestern the lead back at 5-4 mid way through the fifth, but the Mighty Macs bounced back with three runs to take a lead they wouldn't relinquish.
 
Freshman Nick Comito (1-for-2, RBI, R) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded before Kalamets and senior pinch hitter Billy Gaines hit back-to-back sacrifice flies to but the Mighty Macs up 7-5.
 
Sophomore reliever John Ryan (1-1) allowed a run in the top of the sixth, but IU got the run back on a sacrifice fly by Boulware.
 
Sophomore Nick Campione surrendered a run in the top of the seventh, but the Mighty Macs hung on for the 8-7 win and his second save of the season.
 
Immaculata, winners of three of their last four, will host Messiah on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m.
 
NOTES: Senior shortstop Joe DiGiaimo became the second player in team history to go over 400 at bats as he now has 408, and trails Immaculata leader Matt Hardy (2010-13) who has 469 … Yesterday, senior Bryan McHale became the school's all-time leader in innings pitched with 175.0 currently, passing teammate Aaron Dietrich (2010-13) who had 171.2 … McHale also became the career leader in wins with 11, passing Richard Cusic (2010-13) who had 10.