Box Score

IMMACULATA, Pa.- The Mighty Macs snapped a three-game losing skid and moved to 5-2 in Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) play with a 14-6 win over Marywood (8-9, 0-4 CSAC) in the opener of a three-game set.  The Macs scored five in the first and six in the eighth to pull away late from the Pacers.
 
The bullpen was outstanding for Immaculata with six innings while allowing just one unearned run and three hits.  Sophomore Trevor O'Brien (4-1) earned the win with 3 2/3 innings of great relief.
 
Senior Ryan Ficca led the IU offense with three hits.
 
Senior Ryan Blough got the start for IU, and the Pacers got to him quickly with two runs in the top of the first to take an early lead.
 
The Mighty Macs made sure that didn't last long as they put five runs on the board in their half of the first.  Junior left fielder Jason McCormick (1-for-3, 2 R, 2 BB, 3B) sent a triple to deep left field, and senior first baseman Mike Lascomb (1-for-2, R, RBI, 2B) followed him with a shot to left field for an RBI double to cut the deficit in half.  Following two walks to load the bases, junior catcher Ryan Tecco (2-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBIs, BB, 2 2B) doubled down the left field line to put the Macs up 3-2.  After a hit batter loaded the bases and a strikeout for the first out of the inning, sophomore third baseman Brad Misialek (RBI) executed a perfect suicide squeeze to score one run, and Tecco did not stop running around third base and had a perfect slide to avoid the tag and put IU in front 5-2 after one inning.
 
The Pacers got one in the second, and added two more in the third against Blough with a chance for more, but IU cut down a run at the plate to end the top of the third with the score tied 5-5.
 
The Macs re-took the lead in their half of the third as junior right fielder Howie Kalamets (2-for-3, 2 R, 2 RBIs, 2B, 3B, 2 HBPs) tripled with two outs, and sophomore designated hitter Justin Dempsey (1-for-4, R, 2 RBIS, BB, HR) walked to put runners on the corners with two outs.  The two of them pulled off a double steal to put IU in front 6-5 through three.
 
Blough went three innings and gave up four earned runs with two strikeouts before giving way to sophomore Trevor O'Brien.  O'Brien would surrender an unearned run in the top of the fourth as the Pacers clawed back to tie the game at 6-6.
 
As they did the previous inning, the Macs bounced right back to take the lead, this time for good, with two runs. 
 
With one out, McCormick walked and moved to third base on a double by junior left fielder Chuck Wyckoff (1-for-2, R, 2B) who replaced an injured Lascomb.  With the two runners in scoring position and one out, the Macs put on another suicide squeeze, this one by Ficca.  McCormick slid in safely and as the pitcher scooped to throw him out, the throw got by the catcher allowing Wyckoff to score and put IU up 8-6.
 
O'Brien then pitched flawlessly in the fifth and sixth as he retired seven straight hitters to keep IU up by two runs.
 
He ran into a little trouble in the top of the seventh with runners on the corners and two outs, but junior Kyle Bacher came in to get the final out on a fly out to Rick DiDomenico in center.
 
After IU failed to add to their lead in the seventh, junior Kenny Anderson tossed a 1-2-3 frame in the eighth with the help of a great diving play by Pat Devenney at second base.
 
Immaculata broke the game wide open with six two out runs in the eighth. DiDomenico (R, SB) was hit by a pitch, stole second with two outs, and came home on a line drive single up the middle by Ficca.  Ficca would take second himself and scored on an error by Marywood and the Macs led 10-6.  After Tecco hit his second double of the day, Kalamets hit a towering two-run double to left-center field to put the Macs comfortably in front.  Dempsey then delivered the first home run of his career with a two-run shot to left field to give IU some breathing room at 14-6.
 
Sassaman closed out some great work by the bullpen with a scoreless inning, capped off by a 5-4-3 double play to seal the win.
 
These two teams will finish their CSAC series on Sunday at Marywood with a noon doubleheader.