Box Score

IMMACULATA, Pa. – Meagan Fitzgerald tossed a no-hitter through five innings as Immaculata's offense generated seven runs, and the Mighty Macs went on to win their CSAC Tournament first-round game Monday afternoon against Gwynedd Mercy, 8-1.
 
Third-seeded Immaculata (24-9) now advances to the CSAC Championship this Friday and Saturday, May 2 and 3, on the campus of Marywood. Immaculata will play second-seeded Neumann on Friday morning at 10 a.m. to begin the double-elimination tournament.
 
After two scoreless innings, Immaculata broke through in the bottom of the third as singles by Jessica DeCastro and Meghan Kugler scored Christiana Donofry, who bunted for a single, and Rachel Kelly, who reached on a fielder's choice, for the 2-0 lead.
 
The Mighty Macs added two more runs for a 4-0 edge in the fourth as Brittany Merkle led off the inning with a double. Merkle then scored on Jenny Barnholt's triple into right field. Kelly then doubled through the left side to score Barnholt.  
 
Immaculata continued to swing the bat in the fifth with three more runs and a 7-0 advantage. Liz Biddle opened the inning with a home run deep over the right field fence. Samantha Strickland then walked and Danielle Palmisano bunted and beat out the throw at first. Donofry then doubled to score both runners.
 
Gwynedd Mercy's lead-off hitter broke up Fitzgerald's no-hitter in the top of the sixth with a single. That runner would eventually come around to score off another single for the Griffins' only run of the game.
 
Melissa Ejk delivered a pinch hit-double to left field that scored DeCastro for the final run of the game in the bottom of the sixth for the Mighty Macs.
 
Immaculata scattered 11 hits during the game in what was a balanced lineup. Donofry was 2-for-3 with two RBIs and one run scored to lead Immaculata at the plate.
 
Fitzgerald only gave up three hits in seven innings and she struck out five.