Box Score

IMMACULATA, Pa.- The Immaculata baseball team won their eighth straight game on Wednesday afternoon at the IU Baseball Field as they pulled away late for a 15-1 victory over visiting Muhlenberg (9-10).  Junior Ryan Blough (6 IP), sophomore Justin Dempsey (2 IP), and sophomore Ryan Joyce (IP) combined to allow just one hit as IU pitching has been dominant in the past two games.  Immaculata (12-7) blew open a close game with a seven-run sixth inning to take control.
 
Offensively, the Macs pounded out 14 hits to move to 6-0 at home this season.  Junior left fielder Jason McCormick, senior first baseman Mike Lascomb, junior catcher Ryan Tecco, sophomore third baseman Brad Misialek, and senior centerfielder Rick DiDomenico all had two hits in a complete effort for the Macs.
 
The Mules got the scoring started with a two-out run to take a 1-0 lead off Blough, but as they've done all season, the Macs bounced back with a run to tie it.  McCormick (2-for-3, 3 R, RBI, HBP) was hit by a pitch, moved to second on a throwing error by the catcher, and to third on a stolen base.  Lascomb (2-for-4, 3 RBIs) then scored him with a double to the left field corner to tie the game.  Immaculata threatened for more, but Lascomb was thrown out trying to steal on a fly ball to end the threat.
 
The Mules threatened in the second with two runners on and one out, but Blough made a great catch on a line drive back up the middle and got a fly out to keep the game tied.
 
The Mighty Macs put together a two-out rally in their half of the second as DiDomenico (2-for-5, 2 R, SB) laid down a perfect bunt single and swiped second on the next pitch.  He then took off for third a few pitches later, and McCormick singled through the hole left by the third baseman and DiDomenico came around to score as the Macs led 2-1 early.
 
Blough would settle down some in the third, fourth, and fifth as he did not allow a hit and struck out five hitters, including all three outs in the top of the fifth to preserve the one-run IU lead.
 
The Macs added some cushion in the bottom of the fifth with some shaky defense by Muhlenberg.  McCormick reached base for the third straight time, this one on a single, and moved to third base on a pair of groundouts.  Junior first baseman Matt Simon (1-for-4, 2B, R, RBI) then dribbled a ball next to the mound, and the pitcher was unable to handle it, allowing McCormick to score to give IU some insurance at 3-1.
 
That would be it for Blough (2-2) who went six innings and gave up just the first inning double and one run while striking out eight.
 
The Mighty Macs blew the game open in the bottom of the sixth with seven runs on seven hits, as they sent 11 hitters to the plate.  Tecco (2-for-3, R, RBI, BB) started the inning with a single to right field and junior right fielder Howie Kalamets (1-for-4, R) followed with a single to left field.  Following a sacrifice bunt by pinch hitter Coleman Richards, Misialek (2-for-4, 3 R, 2 RBIs, BB) laced a single through the left side to score both of them and extend the lead to 5-1.  The Mighty Macs would load the bases on a pair of defensive miscues by the Mules, and Lascomb made them pay with a single through the left side to plate two more runs and put two runners in scoring position again.
 
Junior Ryan Ficca (1-for3, 2 R, RBI, 2 BB) executed a suicide squeeze to bring home a run to make it 8-1, and an RBI double by Simon, followed by an RBI single by Tecco closed the scoring in the inning with IU leading 10-1.
 
Sophomore Justin Dempsey came on for a scoreless seventh, and retired the side again in the eighth for two shutout innings.
 
The Mighty Macs would add four unearned runs on two bases loaded walks, a hit batter, and an error in seventh as they sent 10 more hitters to the plate to grow their lead to 14-1.
 
Sophomore Pat Devenney hit a sacrifice fly to score the final run in the eighth, bringing home Misialek.
 
Sophomore Ryan Joyce came on in the ninth and tossed a scoreless frame to finish off IU's eighth straight win.  The win streak matches an eight game winning streak from last season.
 
The Macs will go for their longest winning streak since 2011 on Tuesday at Albright at 3:30 p.m.