Box Score

IMMACULATA, Pa.- The Mighty Mac baseball team (14-4) improved to 9-1 in Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) play on Wednesday afternoon as they won the series opener against Cairn (11-9, 3-6 CSAC) in dramatic fashion as senior Howie Kalamets hit a two-run eighth inning home run to put the Macs on top in a 7-6 victory.
 
The Mighty Macs got contributions from their entire lineup as each of them had a hit, and two runs in both the seventh and eighth innings helped erase a deficit and put the Macs in front for good.
 
Both teams mounted rallies in the first inning as Cairn sent nine hitters to the plate and IU sent eight.  Junior starting pitcher Tyler Sassaman struggled a bit as the Highlanders had three hits and took advantage of two walks and an error to score three runs, but Sassaman limited further damage by stranding the bases loaded.
 
Senior centerfielder Jason McCormick (1-for-5, 2B, R) poked a double down the right field line, moved to third on a wild pitch, and following a groundout, scored on an infield single by senior shortstop Ryan Ficca (1-for-4, R, RBI, HBP) to cut the deficit to 3-1.  An error moved Ficca to second and senior leftfielder Matt Simon (1-for-4, R, RBI, SB) then laced an RBI single to left field to score Ficca and make it 3-2.  The Macs loaded the bases with one out, but were unable to tie the game early.
 
The score held into the top of the third when the Highlanders threatened again, but McCormick gunned down a runner going to third from center field, and junior second baseman Pat Devenney (1-for-3) made a nice over the shoulder catch in right center field to end the inning to keep the Macs down 3-2.
 
IU clawed their way back to tie the game at 3-3 through three innings when Simon reached on an error, stole second, and scored on an RBI single to right center field by senior right fielder Dom Ficca (1-for-4, RBI).
 
The Highlanders re-took the lead in the top of the fifth and chased Sassaman with two outs in the frame, and took a 4-3 advantage into the bottom of the fifth.  Junior Trevor O'Brien came on in relief to close out the inning.  Sassaman went 4 2/3 innings with four strikeouts and allowed four runs, but just one of them was earned.
 
The Highlanders added another off O'Brien in the top of the seventh, but the Macs battled back with two in the bottom of the frame to tie the game at 5-5.  Kalamets (1-for-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB, HR) led off with a walk and moved to second on a groundout, and senior third baseman Justin Dempsey (2-for-4, R, RBI, SB) drove him in with a single to left field.  Dempsey made his way around to third base with two outs, and came in to score on an error to tie the game up.
 
Sophomore Brandon Shapiro came in to keep the game tied in the eighth, but the Highlanders took their third lead of the afternoon with a single run to take a 6-5 to the bottom of the eighth.  Junior Ryan Blough (4-1) got the final out of the inning on a strikeout.
 
Freshman catcher Tyler Kmiec (2-for-4, R, SB) led off the inning with an infield single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt.  After a fly out, Kalamets put a charge into the first pitch he saw and sent it over the center field fence for his second home run in as many games and ninth of his career.
 
Senior Kyle Bacher then came on for his seventh save of the season to tie the single season record with a 1-2-3 inning.
 
The Macs will be off for the next four days for Easter, but will close the series with Cairn on Monday on the road at noon.