Box Score
IMMACULATA, Pa.- The Mighty Macs (21-6) improved to 14-2 in the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) as they rode a six-run third inning to a 10-3 victory over Gwynedd Mercy (20-11-1, 10-6 CSAC) on Friday afternoon in the series opener at the IU Baseball Field.
The top of the IU lineup with senior centerfielder
Jason McCormick and senior designated hitter
Howie Kalamets was outstanding as they went 5-for-8 with two runs scored, four RBIs, two doubles, and a triple.
On the mound, junior
Trevor O'Brien earned the win with five innings and sophomore
Zach Smiley had a career-best four shutout innings to close it out and get his first career save.
The Griffins got the scoring started with a lead-off home run in the first and threatened for more, but O'Brien escaped further trouble with a little help from freshman catcher
Tyler Kmiec who threw a runner out at third base.
The Mighty Macs had a quick response as two pitches into the inning,
Jason McCormick (2-for-3, 2 RBI, R, 2B, 3B, HBP) smoked a triple to deep center field, and two pitches after that, Kalamets (3-for-5, R, 2 RBI, 2B) hit an RBI double to left-center to tie the game at 1-1. Kalamets moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a sacrifice fly by senior left fielder
Matt Simon (1-for-2, 2 R, RBI, 3B, 2 BB), and the Macs held a 2-1 lead through one.
After O'Brien settled down and retired six of the next seven hitters, Immaculata broke the game open in the third with six runs as they sent 12 hitters to the plate. Senior shortstop
Ryan Ficca (1-for-3, R, HBP, SB) was hit by a pitch and Simon walked to put two on with nobody out. Senior first baseman
Ryan Tecco (2-for-4, RBI, R) laid down a perfect bunt that he beat to first and the throw went all the way down the right field line allowing Ficca and Simon to score and Tecco made it all the way around to third base. Kmiec (RBI) brought Tecco in with a sacrifice fly to center to make it 5-1.
Senior right fielder
Dom Ficca (1-for-3, 2 R, 2 BB) restarted the rally with a walk and freshman third baseman
Chris Szekeres Jr. (1-for-4, R, HBP) was hit by a pitch to put two more runners on base. Junior second baseman
Pat Devenney (1-for-3, R, RBI, HBP) then lined an RBI single to right-center field for another run, and McCormick brought home Szekeres Jr. with a sacrifice fly for a 7-1 lead. Kalamets finished off the inning with an RBI single to center field and the Macs were up 8-1 through three innings.
The Griffins got one back in the fourth, and another in the fifth with more threatening, but O'Brien got a big strikeout to end his day. O'Brien (5-1) went five innings and allowed seven hits and three runs with six strikeouts.
Smiley came on in relief in the sixth and delivered back-to-back shutout frames and the Macs would tack on single runs in the seventh and eighth innings as McCormick hit an RBI double in the seventh, and Tecco hit a sacrifice fly to score Simon who tripled to lead off the inning.
Smiley then delivered two more scoreless innings to polish off the victory.
He went four innings and allowed just one hit and one walk while striking out four.
The Macs will look to continue their program-best season in CSAC play as they travel to Gwynedd Mercy tomorrow for a noon doubleheader.
