Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

ASTON, Pa.- After defeating Neumann in game one of their series, 14-9, on Monday afternoon, the Immaculata baseball team lookied to win the series against the Knights on Wednesday afternoon, but Neumann (8-2, 3-1 CSAC) ran away with the first game, 12-5, before coming back with a four-run seventh inning to deal the Mighty Macs (6-7, 1-2 CSAC) a 7-6 loss in the nightcap.
 
In the first game, sophomore rightfielder Howie Kalamets blasted a three-run home run, his third of his career, and in the second game, junior Rick DiDomenico's grand slam looked to be enough to give IU the win, but Neumann's late rally gave the Knights a sweep.
 
In the opener, Neumann raced out to an 8-1 lead through three innings and the Macs were unable to get back into it.  Immaculata started the game by scoring in the top of the first to take an early 1-0 lead.  Sophomore second baseman Jason McCormick (1-for-3, R, RBI, 2B, 2 SB) was hit by a pitch before stealing second and third base, and was hit in on a sacrifice fly by junior third baseman Rob Wallace (1-for-2, R, RBI, HBP) to give IU the early 1-0 lead.
 
Sophomore pitcher Adam Wheatley (0-1) was making his first appearance of the season and the Knights jumped on him quickly to take back a lead they wouldn't relinquish.  In the first inning after Wheatley retired the first two hitters, Neumann strung together a four-run rally to take a 4-1 lead, and then they made it 7-1 after three more in the second inning with two outs.
 
In the third, they added another which ended Wheatley's day after 2 1/3 innings pitched.  Sophomore reliever Chris Goggin got the final two outs of the third.
 
IU got one back on an RBI double by McCormick in the fourth that scored sophomore catcher Ryan Tecco (2-for-3, R, BB, 2B), but Neumann got two more off of Goggin in the bottom of the inning to take a 10-2 lead.
 
In the fifth, Kalamets connected on his third career home run, a three-run shot to left field to score Wallace, and junior first baseman Mike Lascomb (1-for-3, R) to pull the Macs within five at 10-5.
 
Neumann added two more in the bottom of the fifth off freshman reliever Collin Stringham to finish off the Macs, 12-5, in the opener.
 
In the second game, junior John Ryan had his third straight quality outing as he went 4 2/3 innings, scattering five hits and three runs while striking out two.  He surrendered a solo shot in the bottom of the first, but Immaculata would get that back in their half of the third.
 
Senior designated hitter Matt Lawson (2-for-2, R, RBI) singled, freshman third baseman Brad Misialek (R, 2 BB, HBP) walked, and McCormick reached on an error to load the bases with two outs for DiDomenico (1-for-2, R, 4 RBIs, HR), who skied his second career home run to left field, this one a grand slam, to stake IU to a 4-1 lead through two and a half innings.
 
After Neumann got one back in the third, the Macs extended the lead in the fourth after Lascomb (1-for-4, R) doubled to center to lead off the inning and came around to score on an infield single by Lawson for a 5-2 advantage.
 
Another solo home run for the Knights in the fourth closed the gap to 5-3, but just as they had the previous two times, the Macs had an answer with an unearned run in the top of the sixth to extend the lead back to three at 6-3.
 
The lead would hold there until the seventh when Neumann staged a rally.  Sophomore reliever Kenny Anderson started the inning, but the Knights collected back-to-back singles before an RBI double put the tying run at second base with a score of 6-4.  Sophomore reliever Ryan Blough then came on and after a walk to load the bases, an error kept them loaded and made it 6-5.  Matt Sheneman then stepped to the plate and delivered a two-run single through the right side to give the Knights the 7-6 victory.
 
The Macs will have a chance to get right back at it tomorrow afternoon when they host Gwynedd Mercy at 12 p.m. in a CSAC doubleheader.