Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

DOVER, Del.- Playing in their first game in 20 days due to the inclement weather for the last few weeks, the Immaculata softball team travelled to Wesley (16-1) on Tuesday afternoon to prepare for the upcoming Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) schedule, and after dropping the opener 8-0, the Mighty Macs and Wolverines got into an offensive shootout that saw Wesley pull away late for the 10-8 victory and sweep of the Macs (0-8).
 
In the opener, the Mighty Macs struggled to get going offensively in the shutout loss.  IU had just four baserunners reach in the five-inning game.  Junior designated player Caitlyn Hudock (1-for-1, BB) singled through the left side in the second inning for the only Mighty Mac hit in the opener.  Freshman shortstop Annemarie Bartow was hit by a pitch in the fourth inning, Hudock walked in the fifth, and senior leftfielder Brittany Merkle was hit by a pitch in the fifth, but the Macs were unable to string anything together for a rally.
 
On the other side, sophomore pitcher Meghan Kugler (0-3) went four innings and surrendered seven runs on seven hits while striking out two.  The Wolverines broke out for five runs in the second inning on four hits and two walks that put them up 5-0 early.  They would add two runs in the fourth and another in the fifth to wrap up the 8-0 win.
 
The second game was a different story as the Macs found their groove offensively and pounded out 13 hits, but two runs in the bottom of the sixth by Wesley proved to be the difference in the 10-8 defeat.  Senior centerfielder Christiana Donofry (2-for-4, 2 R), sophomore third baseman Kathleen Devaney (2-for-4, R), junior second baseman Melissa Ejk (2-for-4, R, 2B, 2 RBIs), and freshman pitcher Caitlin Brasier (2-for-3) all had two hits for IU, while Bartow went 3-for-3 with an RBI and two runs scored to pace the Immaculata attack.
 
Immaculata got on the board right away with three runs in the top of the first.  Donofry and Devaney singled to lead off the game, and Bartow walked with one out to load the bases.  Hudock (R, RBI) brought one of them home with a groundout before a two base error by the first baseman allowed Devaney and Bartow to come around and score for a 3-0 IU advantage.
 
On the other side, Brasier set down the side in order in both the first and second innings, and the IU offense took advantage again in the second inning by scoring three more runs with two outs.
 
Ejk delivered a two-run double to right field which scored Donofry and freshman Angelina Welch (1-for-2, R), and Bartow followed with a single to right-center which staked the Macs to a 6-0 advantage.
 
The Wolverines got two back in the bottom of the third, but IU responded with two of their own in the top of the fourth, again with two outs.
 
Kugler (RBI) got an RBI fielder's choice to score Bartow and Merkle (1-for-3, RBI) followed with an RBI single to score Hudock to swell the lead back to six runs at 8-2.
 
Wesley answered back with a big six run inning that saw eight consecutive hits to score the runs and tie the game at 8-8.  The Wolverines then took the lead in the bottom of the sixth with two runs on an RBI single and a sacrifice fly.
 
The Macs were unable to string together a rally to mount a comeback and fell, 10-8.
 
Immaculata will now shift their attention to CSAC play for the rest of the week as they host Baptist Bible tomorrow at 3 p.m., travel to Keystone on Friday at 3, and return home to host Cabrini on Saturday at 1.