IMMACULATA, Pa. – Starting pitcher
Mason Keller struck out 11 batters in a complete game shutout as Immaculata baseball swept Mount Aloysius in a doubleheader on Saturday. The Mighty Macs won game one 2-0 and won game two 3-2.
Following a quiet top of the first, the Mighty Macs came to bat in the bottom of the first.
Joe Sacco singled up the middle to lead off the inning. With one out,
Josh Crowding batted in Sacco on a double into left-center field. Crowding would then score on an RBI-double down the left field line from
Richard Fontanillas.
Two runs would be all that was needed for starting pitcher
Mason Keller. Mason allowed his first hit of the day, a slow-rolling bunt down the third base line, in the top of the third. Keller was left unchallenged until the top of the seventh, when he allowed two hits with one out. Following the second hit, Keller struck out the final two batters, securing the victory 2-0 for Immaculata. Keller struck out 11 batters on the day, pitching the three-hit shutout for the Mighty Macs.
Keller went the full seven innings for the Mighty Macs while allowing three hits and one hit batsmen. He also struck out 11 batters on the day.
At the plate, Fontanillas and Crowding each hit RBI doubles for the Mighty Macs. Fontanillas went 1-for-2 with one RBI while Crowding was 1-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored.
The Mounties looked to break the ice early in game two versus the Mighty Macs. They had a runner on second with one out when a ground ball was hit to the Mighty Macs' shortstop,
Joe Sacco. Sacco threw to third, picking off the runner as he attempted to advance to third base.
Having escaped the top of the first unscathed, Immaculata looked to score first in the bottom of the first.
Tyler Kmiec reached base on a one-out single into right field. He would then advance to third on a single from Crowding. Fontanillas then hit a long sacrifice fly into center field, scoring Kmiec and giving Immaculata a 1-0 lead.
The Mounties executed on a leadoff single in the top of the fifth, scoring him on a sacrifice bunt to tie the game at 1-1.
The score remained 1-1 until the bottom of the sixth. Sacco reached base on a leadoff single. Kmiec then reached on an infield single to first base. Following a successful sacrifice bunt from Crowding, Fontanillas hit a two-RBI single into left center field, giving the Mighty Macs a 3-1 lead. Fontanillas would later attempt to score on a sacrifice fly into right field but was called out at the plate.
With one out and a runner on first base,
Greg Grandelli came in in the top of the eighth, looking to convert on the five-out save. Grandelli struck out one batter in the eighth and allowed a single before getting out of the inning unscathed.
Grandelli returned to the mound in the top of the ninth, seeking to hold the Mighty Macs' 3-1 lead. After allowing a leadoff single, Grandelli managed to record two outs on a sacrifice bunt and a groundout. With two outs and a runner on second, Grandelli allowed an RBI double, bringing the score to 3-2. Grandelli forced a fly out to right field, however, ending the game with the Mighty Macs on top 3-2.
Fontanillas had all three RBI in game two for the Mighty Macs. He went 1-for-2 with a sacrifice fly and a stolen base.
The Mighty Macs improve to 3-1 on the season. They will commence Atlantic East Conference play next Monday when they host Wesley for an Easter Monday doubleheader.
