Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

IMMACULATA, Pa.- The Immaculata baseball team stayed red hot with a pair of close Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) victories over Cairn (5-7, 0-3 CSAC) on Saturday afternoon at the IU Baseball Field by scores of 6-4 and 5-4.  The Macs have now won six straight overall and swept the Highlanders in the three game series.
 
The Mighty Macs (10-7, 3-0 CSAC) used a solid start and some early offense in the first game for the win, and in game two, the Macs were great on the mound and used a four-run sixth inning rally before holding off the Highlanders.
 
In the opener, senior starter Eddie Decker got the victory with a solid start, and the Mighty Mac offense was led by junior left fielder Jason McCormick with three hits.  For the second straight game, the Macs led wire-to-wire for the win.
 
The Highlanders threatened right away in the top of the first against Decker with runners on the corners with nobody out, but he got a double play turned by sophomore second baseman Pat Devenney to limit the damage as Cairn put one on the board.
 
The Mighty Macs wasted no time responding as they batted around in the bottom of the first.  McCormick (3-for-4, 2 R, SB) doubled down the left field line, moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on an RBI groundout by senior Mike Lascomb (R, RBI, BB, SB) to tie the game after two hitters.  After senior shortstop Ryan Ficca (R, HBP) was hit by a pitch, junior first baseman Matt Simon doubled down the right field line to put two runners in scoring position with one out.  Junior right fielder Howie Kalamets (1-for-3, RBI) brought home Ficca with a single to center, and sophomore catcher Justin Dempsey (RBI, SB) scored Simon on a fielder's choice to make it 3-1.  The Macs would load the bases with two outs, but were unable to tack on more at the end of the first.
 
Decker used a double play, this one the 4-6-3 variety, to escape a leadoff single in the second, and a two-run single by Simon in the bottom of the second to score McCormick and Lascomb extended the Mighty Mac lead to 5-1 through two innings
 
The Highlanders got Decker for a two out run in the third, but he had a 1-2-3 inning in the fourth, and the Macs led 5-2 through four innings.
 
Cairn would chase Decker in the top of the fifth as they put two runners on with two outs which brought on junior Ryan Blough, but a two-run triple cut the Immaculata lead to 5-4 heading to the bottom of the fifth.  Decker (1-0) earned his first win of the season and third of his career with 4 2/3 innings of work while surrendering four runs and seven hits, and striking out two.
 
In that frame, Simon worked a nine-pitch walk which brought on sophomore pinch runner Adam Connor.  Connor moved to second on a wild pitch, and with two outs, Devenney (2-for-2, RBI, BB) lined an RBI single to right field to score Connor and give IU some insurance at 6-4 through five innings.
 
Blough threw a 1-2-3 inning in the sixth, and senior reliever Nick Campione did the same in the seventh with three groundballs to collect his second save of the season and give IU their fifth consecutive victory.
 
In the second game, Anderson threw an outstanding game to get the Macs the sweep of Cairn and their sixth straight victory overall, and the IU offense executed small ball perfectly in a four-run sixth to put them in front.  Campione came on late to preserve the game for his second save of the day.
 
Anderson got his first of two double play balls on the day in the first, and the IU offense got the lead in the second without the benefit of a hit.  Junior catcher Ryan Tecco (2 R, 3 SB, 2 BB, RBI) walked with two outs, then stole second, his first of three stolen bases on the day before Devenney (2 BB, SB) walked to put two on.  The two then executed a double steal, and the throw from the catcher went into left field allowing Tecco to score for the 1-0 lead.
 
The Highlanders quickly responded with a run in their half of the third to tie the game 1-1, and the pitchers then shut down both offenses.
 
Anderson worked around a hit batter in the fourth and got a 1-2-3 inning in the fifth.  In the sixth, Anderson got another double play ball to keep the game tied and the Macs finally took advantage in their half of the frame.
 
Lascomb singled to get the rally started, the first Mighty Mac hit of the day, but was forced out on a fielder's choice by Ficca.  Simon (1-for-3, 2B) then delivered the big swing of the inning with a double down the left field line to put two runners in scoring position with one out.  Kalamets (R, BB) walked to load the bases before Tecco laid down a perfect suicide squeeze to score Ficca, and after the first baseman dropped the ball, sophomore pinch runner Coleman Richards scored to make it 3-1.  Following a walk from Devenney, Misialek had a bunt single that rode the third base line and scored Kalamets to extend the advantage.  DiDomenico made it a third successful bunt play with a suicide squeeze that scored Tecco to make it 5-1.
 
Anderson came out, and ran into trouble as Cairn put two runners on and cut the IU lead to 5-2.  Campione then came out and closed out the win after two more Highlander runs as the Macs held on for the 5-4 win.
 
Anderson (2-0) went 6 1/3 innings and gave up four runs while striking out two for the win.
 
The Macs will look for their seventh straight win on Tuesday with a road trip to Richard Stockton at 4 p.m.