Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 IMMACULATA, Pa.- Looking to avenge their series-opening loss, the Mighty Macs (8-9, 2-4 CSAC) hosted Keystone (9-10, 6-1 CSAC) for a doubleheader on Sunday afternoon and Immaculata took the opener 4-1, before dropping a back-and-forth second game, 11-9.
 
In the opener, the Mighty Macs got a dominant performance from sophomore Dan Whalen who went the distance and twirled a one-hitter with eight strikeouts and just one walk, while senior shortstop Joe DiGiaimo (3-for-3, R, 2 RBI) paced the offense with three hits, including a two-run home run in the sixth inning to put Immaculata in front 2-1 on their way to their second victory ever over Keystone.
 
DiGiaimo helped Whalen out early with some great glove work.  In the first, he had a glove flip to second to end the frame, and to end the second inning, he made an over the shoulder catch on a shallow pop up to left field.
 
In the bottom of the second, senior third baseman Eli Vottero (3 BB, SB) reached on a one-out single and stole second base before advancing to third on a single through the left side by freshman left fielder Howie Kalamets (1-for-3) to put runners on the corners.  Freshman second baseman Nick Comito then laid down a safety squeeze, but Keystone pitcher Mike Pembleton fielded it with his glove and flipped home to get Vottero and Kalamets was then thrown out trying to advance to third to end the threat with the game still scoreless.
 
Keystone broke the scoreless tie in the top of the fourth when they got their first hit of the game with a one-out triple followed by an RBI groundout to make it 1-0 Giants.  The triple was the last base runner who would reach for Keystone.
 
The Mighty Macs had their best chance of the day thus far in the bottom of the inning when they had back-to-back singles from DiGiaimo and sophomore right fielder Rob Wallace (2-for-3, R), who advanced to second on a hit-and-run to put two runners in scoring position with nobody out.  Immaculata was unable to capitalize on the opportunity after a failed safety squeeze before Wallace was thrown out trying to score on a wild pitch.
 
Whalen continued to cruise setting the Giants down in order in the fifth and sixth innings, allowing the Mighty Macs to take the lead in the four-run sixth inning.
 
Freshman designated hitter Jason McCormick (R, SB) reached on an error and stole second base.  With one out, DiGiaimo delivered the heroics with his seventh career home run, a two-run shot to left center field to give the Mighty Macs their first lead of the day, 2-1.
 
Wallace followed that with a bunt single, and then senior catcher Patrick Boulware (1-for-3, R) lined a double into the gap in left-center.  The shortstop tried to throw behind Wallace on his way back to third base and sailed the throw into the home dugout which brought home both runs and staked the Mighty Macs to a 4-1 lead heading to the last inning.
 
Whalen (3-0) capped the best start of his career by setting down the Giants in order for the fifth time in the day, and retired the last 11 hitters he faced for the first complete game of his career and a 4-1 victory.
 
In game two, Keystone got off to a quick start against freshman pitcher Adam Wheatley who was making his first career CSAC start, by scoring two runs in the top of the first for a 2-0 lead.
 
The Mighty Macs got one back in the first by scoring a run without a hit.  Jason McCormick (1-for-4, R, RBI, SB) walked and sophomore Rick DiDomenico (1-for-2, R, BB, 2 SB) was hit by a pitch to put two on with nobody out.  They executed a double steal with one out before Rob Wallace hit a sacrifice fly to make it 2-1 through one inning.
 
Keystone ballooned their lead to four runs in the third inning as they loaded the bases with nobody out, and scored a run on a bases loaded walk by senior reliever John Pedorenko.  Sophomore reliever Nick Campione then came on and got a double play ball, but two more runs would score on an infield single and error as Keystone led 5-1 through two and half innings.
 
The Mighty Macs responded in a big way with a six-run third inning as they sent 11 hitters to the plate and took a two run lead.  Sophomore Mike Lascomb (2-for-2, R, RBI, BB, 3B) started things with a triple to right center field and was quickly brought home by a single off the bat of McCormick.  The Mighty Macs would then load the bases with two outs on a single by DiDomenico and walk by Rob Wallace (R, RBI, BB).  Senior third baseman Eli Vottero (1-for-3, R, 2B, 3 RBIs) then delivered the big blow of the inning by hitting a towering double down the right field line that cleared the bases and tied the game 5-5.  An RBI double by Howie Kalamets (2-for-4, R, RBI) followed by an RBI single off the bat of Nick Comito (1-for-3, RBI) which made it 7-5 through three innings of play.
 
Keystone threatened again in the top of the fourth, but Campione worked his way out of a bases loaded jam by inducing a groundout to Vottero at third who had a low throw dug out by Lascomb at first to keep it at a two-run lead for Immaculata.
 
The Giants pushed across a big inning of their own in the top of the fifth, sending 10 hitters to the plate and scoring five runs to make it 10-7 in favor of Keystone.  All five runs came with two outs as Campione nearly escaped the trouble, but a two-run single chased him from the game.  Keystone would score three more runs off freshman Chris Goggin before senior Greg Binfield came on to put out the fire with a pop up.
 
Immaculata got one back in the bottom of the inning with an RBI single off the bat of Lascomb, and trailed 10-8 through five.
 
After the Giants added a run in the seventh, the Mighty Macs had one last chance to come back.  They loaded the bases with one out on two walks and a single.  Sophomore Mike Sciasci then tried to bunt for a hit, but was thrown out with one run scoring.  McCormick had a chance to tie it, but a good play by third baseman Lymbel Guerrero ended it with Keystone taking game two 11-9.
 
Immaculata will play one non-conference game this week at Messiah on Tuesday before a weekend series with Cairn.
 
NOTES: Keystone has lost two CSAC games over the last two seasons, both to the Mighty Macs.