Box Score

IMMACULATA, Pa.- On a windy day at the IU Baseball Field, the Mighty Macs (14-7, 4-0 CSAC) ran their win streak to 10 games with an 8-4 win over Centenary (9-8, 0-4 CSAC) in the opener of a three game Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) series.  The teams will play a doubleheader on Saturday at Centenary.
 
The Macs used a three-run first to take the lead, and pulled away late with a three-run seventh to move to 7-0 at the IU Baseball Field.  Senior Dan Whalen got the start on the mound, but had to leave the game in the fifth due to an injury.
 
On offense, IU churned out 11 hits led by a huge performance from junior designated hitter Matt Simon (3-for-4, R, 3 RBI, 2 2B) and senior first baseman Mike Lascomb (3-for-4, 2 R, SB).
 
Whalen took care of the Cyclones with ease in the first with two strikeouts in a perfect frame, and the Macs jumped in front as they have nearly every game during this 10-game win streak.  Junior left fielder Jason McCormick (1-for-2, 2 HBP, SB, R) was hit by a pitch and advanced to second on a single by Lascomb.  Following a double steal, senior shortstop Ryan Ficca (1-for-4, 2 R, RBI, 2B) brought home the first run with a groundout to the second baseman to score McCormick for a 1-0 lead.  Simon then blooped a single into left field to score Lascomb and junior right fielder Howie Kalamets (2-for-4, R, RBI, 3B) would later single in Simon to make it 3-0 after one.
 
Whalen retired the next three hitters in the second, and would allow a single in the third, but got out of it with two strikeouts and a flyout, as he had five punch outs through three frames.
 
The Cyclones finally got to Whalen in the top of the fourth as they scored two on two RBI singles, but he induced a double play to Ficca up the middle to escape any further trouble.  The Macs got one back in their half of the fourth as Kalamets led off with a triple and quickly came in to score after a sacrifice fly by sophomore second baseman Pat Devenney (RBI, BB).
 
Centenary came back with a run of their own in the top of the fifth, and chased Whalen from the game after he got hit by a line drive.  He was relieved by sophomore Trevor O'Brien with two outs, and he escaped further trouble.
 
Whalen went 4 2/3 innings with five strikeouts and one walk while allowing three runs and six hits.
 
In the fifth for IU, McCormick led off the inning by getting hit by a pitch for the second time and advanced to second on Lascomb's second single of the day.  McCormick was thrown out attempting to steal third, and Ficca lofted a double to left field on the next pitch, but Lascomb was thrown out at the plate for the second out.  Simon would pick up the team with a big swing on a double to left-center field to push the lead back to 5-3.
 
O'Brien got out of a jam in the sixth as the Cyclones put two runners in scoring position, but a pop out to Devenney and groundout to Lascomb allowed him to escape unscathed.
 
After the Macs were retired in order in the sixth, O'Brien got the first out of the seventh before giving way to junior Kyle Bacher.  Bacher allowed a double to the first hitter he faced, but retired the next two on strikeouts.  O'Brien (3-1) went 1 2/3 shutout innings in relief and got credit for the victory.
 
Immaculata collected three huge insurance runs in the bottom of the seventh, and all with two outs.  Lascomb hit a mile high pop up that fell in for a double, and Ficca hit a fly ball to left field that the left fielder was unable to handle, allowing Lascomb to score and Ficca to reach third.  On the next pitch, Simon laced a line drive to right-center field and hustled out of the box to reach second for the double.  Sophomore Coleman Richards came in to pinch run and junior catcher Ryan Tecco (1-for-4, RBI) lined a single over the first baseman's head to bring home Richards and put IU in front 8-3 through seven innings.
 
Bacher would surrender a lead-off home run to the first batter of the top of the eighth, which brought out junior Ryan Blough.  Blough allowed a walk, but avoided further trouble as McCormick made a diving play in left field to preserve the 8-4 lead.
 
Senior closer Nick Campione came out in a non-save situation and finished out the victory.
 
The Mighty Macs will look to make it 11 and 12 straight on Saturday when they travel to Centenary for a doubleheader at noon to conclude the series.