ASTON, Pa. - The Immaculata University baseball team struggled to get in a rhythm offensively Thursday afternoon at Neumann in Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) play, falling to the host Knights 7-3. Tyler Kmiec belted a solo home run in the eighth inning - his fourth of the season - to lead the Macs' lineup.

Starting pitcher Eddie Decker struck out eight over five innings in his fifth CSAC start of the year.

HOW IT HAPPENED
-Tristan Ryan drew a five-pitch walk to lead off the top of the first and moved up to second after Tyler Kmiec was hit by a pitch. The Macs failed to move either runner up 90 feet with the next two at-bats, but IU put on a double steal with Richard Fontanillas at the plate and the throw sailed down the left field line, allowing Ryan to come home with the game's first run.
-Neumann answered right back after an error allowed a one-out baserunner to advance to third which was quickly followed up with a sacrifice fly to right to knot the contest at one.
-After a scoreless second inning from both sides, the Macs regained the lead with Ryan's presence on the base paths yet again. The center fielder drew another leadoff walk and moved up to second on a ground out with two away in the frame. Ryan again took off for third during the next at-bat and again the throw was wide of the third base bag, allowing him to score the Macs' second run.
-The Knights responded in a big way with three runs in the home half, two coming on a two-out, two-run home run off the bat of Curt Yenchik.
-With the Macs still trailing 4-2 in the fifth, the bottom half of the IU lineup mounted a rally to get back in the game. Nick Cerelli lined a leadoff single to left and moved to second on Pat Devenney's base hit to right-center. However, Neumann executed a pickoff play to cut down Cerelli and Devenney was ultimately left stranded at third to end the threat.
-A bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the fifth stretched the Knights' lead to three, and a two-out, run-scoring single in the seventh made it a 6-2 lead for the hosts.
-Kmiec attempted to jump-start the offense with a leadoff jack in the eighth - his fourth of the year - but it was too little too late as Neumann added an insurance run in the bottom half to take the series with a 7-3 victory.

IU LEADERS AT THE PLATE
-Kmiec: 1-3, Solo HR (4)

IU LEADERS ON THE BUMP
-Decker: 5 IP, 5R (4 ER), 8K
-Newell: 3 IP, 5H, 2R, 4K

UP NEXT
Immaculata (8-18, 3-7 CSAC) returns home Saturday to take on Clarks Summit in a CSAC doubleheader. The program's eight seniors will be honored prior to first pitch of game one set for noon.