CHESTERTOWN, Md.- The Immaculata softball team (1-1) got their 2018 season started on Thursday afternoon on a cool, breezy day at Washington College (4-4) where the Mighty Macs earned a split against the Shorewomen.
 
In the opening game, the Mighty Mac offense was slow to get going as IU fell behind 6-0, but once it did freshman Keani Hindle hit a solo home run in her collegiate debut and freshman Paige Gerst hit a two-run single, but it wasn't enough in a 6-3 loss.
 
In game two, freshman Emma Bischoff was fantastic in her collegiate debut, twirling a two-hit shutout with six strikeouts, and the Macs scored the game-winning run in the eighth inning on an RBI groundout by sophomore Emily Mesey for the 1-0 victory.
 
GAME 1
HOW IT HAPPENED
-The Mighty Macs went down in order and the Shorewomen converted quickly with a solo home run to take a 1-0 lead
-After another 1-2-3 inning for IU, Washington College used five consecutive hits to spark a five-run rally as they took a 6-0 lead and chased Bormann
-Freshman Renee DeAngelis was outstanding the rest of the way in the circle as she did not allow a run and just three hits in her first collegiate appearance
-The Macs got their first hit in the top of the fifth as Hindle took a pitch on the outer half and drove it over the right-center field fence for the first IU run of the season
-IU added two more in the sixth as they loaded the bases, and Gerst drove two runs in with a single up the middle to slice the deficit to 6-3
-Freshman Sarah Reed then represented the tying run with two outs, but went down on strikes and that was the final threat of the day
 
IU LEADERS AT THE PLATE
-Hindle: 1-3, R, RBI, HR
-Gerst: 1-3, 2 RBI
 
IU LEADERS IN THE CIRCLE
-Bormann (L, 0-1): 2 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 2 K
-DeAngelis: 4 IP, 3 H, 1 K
 
GAME 2
HOW IT HAPPENED
-In the second game, the Mighty macs had runners in scoring position in five of the first six innings, but were unable to convert them into a run
-Sophomore Ashley Rey doubled in the first to bring sophomore Michaela Petito to third base with one out, but a strikeout and a flyout kept them off the board
-In the third, Petito and Rey singled back-to-back with nobody out, but IU was unable to continue the rally
-On the other side, Bischoff allowed a single in the second and a double in the fourth, but then retired 11 straight hitters as the last hit she allowed was the double in the fourth
-After seven straight scoreless innings, each team had a chance in the eighth with the international rule with a runner starting on second base with nobody out
-The Macs pushed a run across in their half as Mesey hit an RBI groundout that scored Petito, and in the Shorewomen attempted to push the game-tying run across, but Petito cut down the run to help the Macs preserve the victory
 
IU LEADERS AT THE PLATE
-Abigail Carter: 2-4, SB
-Michaela Petito: 2-4, R
-Ashley Rey: 2-3, 2B
 
IU LEADERS IN THE CIRCLE
-Bischoff (W, 1-0): 8 IP, 2 H, 6 K
 
UP NEXT
The Macs will play Lynchburg in a doubleheader at Salisbury on Saturday at noon as part of the Sea Gull Classic