Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

FORT PIERCE, Fla.- The Immaculata baseball team (1-3) faced Lebanon Valley in a doubleheader down at Florida Coast Spring Training on Tuesday, and they were swept by the Dutchmen (3-3) by scores of 5-4 and 5-2.  The Mighty Macs mounted a late comeback in the first game to tie it, but a Lebanon Valley run in their final at bat was the difference, and in game two, the Macs fell behind 5-0 early and were unable to recover.
 
In the opener, junior Tyler Sassaman made the third start of his career, and threw well for the Macs as he kept them in the game.  After retiring the side in order in the first, Sassaman allowed single runs in the second and third, but avoided further trouble in the third by inducing a double play ball to allow just one run to cross for the Dutchmen.
 
The Mighty Macs went down in order the first three innings, but got their first base runner to lead off the fourth when senior centerfielder Jason McCormick (2 BB) walked.  Following back-to-back fielder's choices, junior third baseman Justin Dempsey (1-for-3) got the first hit of the day with an infield single, however both runners were stranded when a strike out ended the inning.
 
The score would hold into the sixth when the Dutchmen extended their lead, following a lead-off single and a sacrifice bunt, Sassaman's day was over as he went a career-best 5 1/3 innings while scattering eight singles, striking out five with no walks, and three runs allowed.  Freshman Greg Grandelli made his collegiate debut on the mound, and following a balk and a pop out, a wild pitch allowed Lebanon Valley to extend their lead to 3-0.  The Dutchmen would tack on another after a couple walks and an error to make it 4-0 through five and a half innings as junior Collin Stringham came in to retire the final hitter.
 
In need of a rally, the Mighty Macs ended a 13-inning scoreless drought as they tied the game with four in the bottom of the sixth.  Junior second baseman Pat Devenney (2-for-3, R) had an infield single and McCormick walked for the second time to put two on with nobody out.  Following a strikeout, senior shortstop Ryan Ficca (1-for-3, R, RBI) laced an RBI single to left-center to get the Macs on the board at 4-1.
 
McCormick was then caught stealing third for the second out of the inning, but Ryan Ficca scored on an error that allowed Dempsey to reach to make it 4-2.  Senior designated hitter Matt Simon (R, BB) then walked to put two on with two outs, and senior first baseman Ryan Tecco (1-for-3, 2B, 2 RBI) delivered a big knock with a two-run double to left field to tie the game.
 
Senior Kyle Bacher (0-1) then came in to work the seventh, but the Dutchmen had their first two hitters reach to put runners on the corners with nobody out, and they cashed in with a sacrifice fly to make it 5-4 heading to IU's final at bat.
 
Devenney got his second hit of the day with one out, and junior pinch runner Coleman Richards came on and stole second, but the next two hitters were retired and the Macs fell 5-4.
 
In game two, Lebanon Valley jumped out quickly against senior starting pitcher Adam Wheatley.  They plated three in the first inning, and two more on a home run in the second to get out to a 5-0 lead through two innings of play.  Meanwhile, the IU offense struggled to get going early on as they sent the minimum number of hitters to the plate in the first three innings.
 
Freshman catcher Tyler Kmiec (2-for-3) singled in the fourth, but the next two hitters were retired before he advanced any further.
 
Wheatley settled down and gave the Macs two scoreless innings and finished his day with four innings, five runs allowed (four earned), six hits, and two strikeouts.
 
Sophomore Zach Smiley made his first ever appearance on the mound in relief in the fifth and tossed a scoreless frame with two strikeouts.  The Mighty Macs got on the board in the top of the sixth as McCormick (1-for-4, R) and Kmiec singled to put runners on the corners with one out, and junior pinch hitter Brad Misialek hit into an RBI fielder's choice as IU trailed 5-1 through five and a half innings.
 
Smiley tossed another scoreless frame in the sixth with the help of a double play ball to send IU to their final at bat down by four runs.
 
In the top of the seventh, Simon (1-for-2, R, 2B, BB) led off with a double and one batter later, senior right fielder Dom Ficca (2-for-3, RBI, 2B) brought him home with a double of his own to make it 5-2.  Following a fly out, freshman Chris Szekeres Jr. walked to bring McCormick to the plate as the tying run
 
The Mighty Macs will now have a day off on Wednesday before returning to action on Thursday at 11 a.m. against Hilbert College.