LA PLUME, Pa. - Despite falling just short to Keystone in game one of Saturday's Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) doubleheader, the Immaculata University softball team rebounded for a resounding 10-1 win in the nightcap to earn a split with the Giants.
Freshman
Emma Bischoff went the distance in the circle for the Macs in game two, limiting to Keystone to just four hits while striking out a season-high 12.
Annemarie Bartow,
Emily Mesey and
LeighAnn Brocious all turned in multi-hit performances in the game two win, while
Ashley Rey provided a solo home run in game one for the Macs.
GAME 1
HOW IT HAPPENED
-After a scoreless first inning from both sides, Immaculata opened the scoring in the top of the second when starting pitcher
Jessica Bormann helped her own cause with a run-scoring single to score
Michaela Petito, who reached via a walk earlier in the frame.
-Bormann was on cruise control through the first three innings, retiring nine of the first ten batters she faced and holding the Giants hitless in the process.
-Keystone came to life in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run home run to take a two-run lead in the late innings, but
Ashley Rey got the Macs back within one with a solo home run in the next half inning.
-The Giants added some insurance by plating a pair of runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to make it a 7-2 game, but the Macs would not be turned away quietly.
-Down to their last three outs in the top of the seventh, Abby Carter and
Emily Mesey singled to lead off the inning, before
Annemarie Bartow delivered a clutch two-run triple down the left field line, cutting the deficit to three.
-After a Keystone pitching change,
Keani Hindle kept the rally going with a base hit to score Bartow, bringing the tying run to the plate.
Michaela Petito kept the line moving with an infield hit, allowing pinch hitter
Paige Gerst to line a single to right to score Hindle, pulling IU within one. However, the Macs were unable to cash in, stranding the tying run at third for a 7-6 final.
IU LEADERS AT THE PLATE
-Bartow: 3-3, 3B, 2 RBI, R
-Petito: 2-3, BB, R
-Rey: 1-4, Solo HR
MIGHTY MACS IN THE CIRCLE
-Bormann: 3 IP, 3H, 3R, K
GAME 2
HOW IT HAPPENED
-Saturday's nightcap was all Immaculata, as the IU was on the board in the top of the first when Hindle lined a two-out, run-scoring single down the right field line to score Peitito.
-The Macs then tacked on three more in the top of the second, as Mesey led off with a double to center and moved up to third on a sac bunt from
Emma Bischoff.
LeighAnn Brocious followed with a bunt single to bring home Mesey to extend the lead to two, and following a walk to Cater, Petito brought around both baserunners with a single to right center.
-In the top of the fourth, Petito and Rey both reached to begin the inning before Bartow extended the IU lead to six with a two--run double into the left field corner. Gerst and Mesey each drove in a run with RBI groundouts to make it an eight-run game.
-IU put the game away in the sixth with another three-spot, as Mesey added to her big day at the plate with an RBI single through the left side to score Bartow before Brocious put the Macs up ten with a two-out, two-run single back through the middle.
-Bischoff was masterful yet again in the circle, retiring eight straight at one point while striking out a season-high 12 in the complete-game effort. The freshman limited Keystone to just four hits and walked only two while posting five shutout frames along the way.
IU LEADERS AT THE PLATE
-Bartow: 2-3, 2B, RBI, 2R
-Mesey: 3-4, 2B, 2 RBI, 2R
-Brocious: 2-2, 3 RBI, R
MIGHTY MACS IN THE CIRCLE
-Bischoff: W, 6 IP, 4H, R, 12K
UP NEXT
Immaculata (11-9, 5-1 CSAC) returns home to host Ursinus Tuesday in a non-conference doubleheader beginning at 3 p.m.
