Box Score

IMMACULATA, Pa. – For the third year in-a-row, Immaculata University softball will be playing in the Colonial States Athletic Conference Championship (CSAC) round. The fourth-seeded Mighty Macs advanced to the double-elimination weekend tournament with their 5-4 win against the fifth seed Marywood University Pacers Wednesday afternoon in a first round game.
 
Immaculata pitcher Caitlin Brasier was able to work out of a jam in the top of the first after loading the bases as Marywood's first two hitters singled and the third walked. The Mighty Macs got their first out on a force play at home, and Brasier started a double play to get the runner heading home and then the batter at first to escape with no damage by the Pacers.
 
It was a quiet few innings as neither team could get a rally started. However, the Mighty Macs started the bottom of the fourth with a double by Annemarie Bartow. Bartow advanced to third on a wild pitch, and Caitlyn Hudock produced Imaculata's first run with her grounder to second that allowed Bartow to score.
 
The Mighty Macs hung to a 1-0 lead as they came to bat in the sixth. Melissa Ejk singled into left field to start the inning, and Bartow walked to get runners at first and second. Hudock put down a bunt to advance the runners, but a throwing error allowed Hudock to reach and load the bases. Lauren Penn then brought in the runner at third with a sacrifice fly, and Meghan Kugler delivered a three-run home run to left center to make it 5-0.
 
With its postseason hopes hanging with one more inning, Marywood started the seventh with two straight singles. The Pacers then drew a one-out walk to load the bases, and Sarah Recanati hit a ball that barely missed clearing the fence for a two-RBI double. Marywood kept the momentum as its next hitter, Brooke Labs, doubled down the right field line to bring home two more runs for a 5-4 game. Labs tried to stretch her double into a triple and was gunned down at third for the second out of the inning. Immaculata got the next Marywood batter to fly to left, and send the Mighty Macs on to the next round.
 
Immaculata had just five hits during the game, and Kugler led the team with three RBIs.
 
Brasier got the win in the circle allowing 10 hits, four runs, walking three and striking out two.
 
Immaculata (17-18) heads to Neumann University on Friday for the CSAC Championship Round. The Mighty Macs take on top-seeded Neumann at noon Friday in the first of two games that day. Depending on the result of the Immaculata-Neumann contest, the Mighty Macs will either play at 2 p.m. or 4 p.m.