FORT PIERCE, Fla.- The Immaculata University baseball team (2-6) shook off a two-game losing streak by scoring eight unanswered runs in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings of their game against Eastern Nazarene on Thursday afternoon on their way to an 8-2 victory. The Macs are now 2-3 on their Florida spring break trip with three games remaining.
Sophomore
Timmy Newell (2-0) was outstanding on the mound in his second victory of the season with 6 2/3 innings of work, while sophomore leftfielder
Tristan Ryan and senior shortstop
Brad Misialek each had a pair of hits for the Macs.
HOW IT HAPPENED
-Newell was outstanding early on as he retired the side in order in the first, third, and fourth innings, and got around a pair of runners with two outs in the second
-Offensively, the Macs had single runners in each of the first four innings, with Misialek's two-out single in the second being the only hit
-Eastern Nazarene broke through with the first two runs of the game in the top of the fifth as back-to-back singles came around to score on a two-run single to right field, but that would be their only offense of the day
-In the fifth, the Macs got on the board as sophomore catcher
Zach Van Meter singled down the left field line, moved to second on a single by senior second baseman
Pat Devenney, and eventually scored on a double steal attempt to cut the deficit to 2-1
-Newell retired the side in the sixth, and the Macs took advantage in the bottom of the frame
-Junior designated hitter Connor Blesi was hit by a pitch and then Ryan had a bunt single to move Blesi to second. Following a sacrifice bunt, Misialek delivered what turned out to be the game winning hit with a two-run double to left field and IU led 3-2 going to the final three innings
-Newell got into some trouble in the seventh, but Grandelli came on in relief and did not allow a run the rest of the way
-The Macs put the game away in the seventh with five runs as they sent eight hitters to the plate. Ryan had a single with the bases loaded for one of the runs, and the Macs took advantage of miscues to plate the other four
IU LEADERS AT THE PLATE
-Ryan: 2-for-4, 2 R, RBI, SB
-Misialek: 2-for-3, 2 RBI, BB, SB, 2B
IU LEADERS ON THE BUMP
-Newell (W): 6 2/3 IP, 6 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K
-Grandelli (S): 2 1/3 IP, 0 H, BB, 4 K
UP NEXT
The Macs will play a doubleheader tomorrow against Hilbert at 12 p.m.