Box Score IMMACULATA, Pa.- In their first game in 24 days, the Immaculata baseball team pounded out 15 hits, including six for extra bases, and ran away with a 14-9 victory in their Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) and home opener over Neumann (6-2, 1-1 CSAC). The Mighty Macs (6-5, 1-0 CSAC) batted around in the fourth inning while scoring eight runs, and batted around again in the seventh with five more runs to put the game away.
IU had to erase a 4-0 deficit in the fourth with their eight-run inning, and with Neumann inching closer at 9-7 going into the bottom of the seventh, the Macs pulled away with five runs in the frame.
Seven Mighty Macs had multi-hit games with sophomore second baseman
Jason McCormick (3-for-5, 2 R, 3 RBIs, 2B, 3B) leading the way with three hits. On the mound, junior
Dan Whalen (1-1) went five innings, striking out seven and allowing just one earned run (four runs total). Sophomore
Kenny Anderson and freshman
Eddie Decker combined to throw 3 2/3 innings out of the bullpen to seal up the victory.
Neumann scored two unearned runs in the top of the first inning with two outs, and would add another unearned run in a two-run inning in the top of the third as they built up a 4-0 lead as the Immaculata offense struggled to get going.
That all changed in the bottom of the fourth inning as the Mighty Macs sent 13 hitters to the plate on eight hits, one hit batter, and one walk. The inning started with junior left fielder
Rob Wallace (2-for-3, 2 R, 2B) getting hit by a pitch and moved to second on a perfect drag bunt single by senior first baseman
Mike Lascomb (2-for-5, 3 RBIs, R, 2B). Both runners were moved to scoring position with a sacrifice bunt by sophomore right fielder
Howie Kalamets (2 BB), and an infield single from senior designated hitter
Matt Lawson (2-for-3, R, RBI, 2B, BB) scored Wallace to make it 4-1 with runners on the corners and one out.
Sophomore catcher
Ryan Tecco (2-for-4, 2 R, RBI) lofted an RBI single to center field to bring home Lascomb and cut it to a 4-2 game. Following a groundout that put two runners in scoring position with two outs, McCormick delivered a big two-out, two-run single that tied the game and brought McCormick all the way to third base after an error by the left fielder. McCormick's single started a string of five consecutive hits that propelled the Macs to an 8-4 lead. Junior shortstop
Ryan Ficca (2-for-5, 2 R, 2 RBIs, SB) and junior center fielder
Rick DiDomenico (2-for-4, 2 R, RBI, HBP, 2B) hit back-to-back RBI singles to extend the advantage to 6-4, and following a single by Wallace, Lascomb finished off the inning with a two-run double to right-center field.
Whalen then finished his outing strong with a shutdown inning with two strikeouts and a groundout for his only 1-2-3 inning of the day.
In the sixth, the Knights cut into the Macs' lead with three runs off junior reliever
Mike Campisano, and Anderson came in to put out the fire as he picked off one runner, and after a double, he struck out the final hitter to hold the IU lead at 8-7.
In the bottom of the sixth, the Macs added a crucial insurance run as Ficca started the inning with a single to left and moved to second after DiDomenico was hit by a pitch. Wallace moved them into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt, and Lascomb executed well with a groundout to first to score Ficca and extend the advantage to 9-7.
Following a scoreless frame by Anderson in the seventh, IU went back to work, sending 11 hitters to the plate and scoring five runs to put the game away. Lawson led off with a double to center and freshman pinch runner Adam Conner came around to score after a sacrifice bunt attempt was thrown away by the pitcher which allowed Tecco to advance to second. A sacrifice moved Tecco to third base and he came home easily on a triple to left-center field by McCormick for an 11-7 lead.
A sacrifice fly by Ficca, an RBI double by Wallace, and a Neumann error finished off the Immaculata seventh with a 14-7 advantage.
Decker allowed two runs over the final two innings to close out the 14-9 CSAC-opening win.
The first five hitters in the IU lineup combined to go 13-for-22 with 11 runs scored and 10 RBIs.
The Mighty Macs will look to make it two in a row tomorrow afternoon when they host Gwynedd Mercy at 3 p.m.
