GWYNEDD VALLEY, Pa. - The Immaculata University baseball team picked up a critical Atlantic East Conference road win in Saturday afternoon's split with Gwynedd Mercy, taking the opener, 14-6, before falling in the nightcap, 8-3.
Tyler Kmiec was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate in game on to pace the Mighty Mac lineup, driving in a season-high five runs with a double and a triple.
Domenic Dellabarba turned in a three-hit day with a double and three runs driven in.
Senior pitcher
Billy Manzo picked up his fourth win of the season in the opener, going the distance while striking out eight Griffins in his eighth start of the season.
IMMACULATA 14, GWYNEDD MERCY 6
HOW IT HAPPENED
-The Mighty Macs struck for four runs in the top of the first, all with two outs in the frame. After a wild pitch plated the game's first run, Dellabarba came to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded and delivered in a big way, driving a bases-clearing double to the gap in right.
-The Griffins battled back with a three-spot of their own in the bottom of the third - two of which were unearned - to get within a run.
-The Macs matched the Griffins' inning with a three-run frame in the fourth, as
Zach Van Meter and Kmiec singles sandwiched by a
Joey Sacco walk loaded the bases with one out.
Tom Prato came up big with a a single to right to score Van Meter before
Richard Fontanillas lined a two-run, opposite-field single to put the Macs up 7-3.
-Kmiec put the Macs in complete control in the top of the fifth with a bases-clearing triple to right followed by a Prato sac fly to right, extending the lead to eight.
-Sacco added an insurance run in the sixth with a sac fly to center ahead of Kmiec's second big knock of the opener, a two-run double to left to make it a 14-5 game.
IU LEADERS AT THE PLATE
-Kmiec: 4-4, 2B, 3B, 3R, 5 RBI
-Dellabarba: 3-5, 2B, 3 RBI
-Hannon: 2-4, BB, 2R
IU LEADERS ON THE MOUND
-Manzo: W (4-1), CG, 6R (4 ER), 8K
GWYNEDD MERCY 8, IMMACULATA 3
HOW IT HAPPENED
-Gwynedd Mercy took an early advantage with a three-run homer in the bottom of the first before tacking on a fourth run in the bottom of the second on a wild pitch.
-The Macs were held scoreless for the first seven innings as the Griffins were able to take an 8-0 lead over that stretch.
Zach Van Meter got IU on the board for the first time in game two with an eighth-inning sacrifice fly with the bases loaded before Kmiec laced a two-out, two-run double to left - the 100th hit of his career.
-Trailing by five heading into the top of the ninth, the Macs were set down in order to settle for the series split in the 8-3 defeat.
IU LEADERS AT THE PLATE
-Kmiec: 1-4, 2B (100th Career Hit), 2 RBI
-Dellabarba: 2-3, R
IU LEADERS ON THE MOUND
-Grandelli: 3.1 IP, 3H, 2R, 2K
UP NEXT
Immaculata (14-11, 6-4 Atlantic East) travels to Elizabethtown Tuesday for a midweek, non-conference matchup at 4 p.m.
