WAYNE, N.J. – The Immaculata baseball team kicked off their 2022 season on Sunday, dropping both games of their doubleheader against William Paterson.
 
Game one began with two quiet frames as neither the Mighty Macs nor the Pioneers managed to score. In the top of the third, first baseman Hunter Hall worked a six-pitch walk to lead off the inning. After Frank Margiotta got hit by a pitch, Joey Sacco stepped up to the plate with one out and two runners on. Sacco then slung his second hit of the day, a double into left center to score Hall, giving the Macs a 1-0 lead.
 
The Macs' lead would be short-lived, however. After a leadoff single to start the inning, the Pioneers hit a two-run home run to claim a 2-1 lead over the Macs.
 
Following a scoreless fourth inning, the Macs looked to tie the game up in the top of the fifth. Sacco reached base with his third of the day, a single into left center field, with one out. Josh Crowding then was due to bat with two outs in the inning. Crowding slapped one the opposite way down the right field line, scoring Sacco on an RBI-double to tie the game at 2-2.
 
Starting pitcher Ryan Crowell recorded a strong performance in his first start of the season, going five innings while allowing two runs on eight hits, striking out three batters and walking zero.
 
After a three-strikeout sixth inning for reliever Steven DiBatista, the Macs found themselves down again in the bottom of the seventh. A leadoff single followed by a hit batter found runners on the corners for the Pioneers with no outs. The Pioneers then cleared the bases on a double down the left field line to claim the 4-2 lead. The Macs did get out of the inning without any additional harm, however, recording three straight outs.
 
The Macs attempted to rally in the top of the eighth, loading the bases with one out, but were unable to plate any runs on the inning as the Pioneers struck out back-to-back batters. The Pioneers, meanwhile, picked up an additional run in the bottom of the eighth on a double against senior Trevor Wagner.
 
Down three runs heading into the top of the ninth, Crowding reached base on a one-out walk, but the Macs were unable to rally as the Pioneers secured a 5-2 victory in game one.
 
Sacco led the Macs offensively in game one, going 3-for-5 with one run scored, one RBI, and one double on the inning. Ryan Struble also went 2-for-4 on the day for the Macs while Crowding went 1-for-3 with two walks, a double, and one RBI.
 
The Macs kicked off game two with a leadoff walk from Frank Margiotta before Sacco doubled, moving Margiotta to third. After a walk from Joey Wright loaded the bases, Crowding batted in Margiotta on a double play ball, giving the Macs the early 1-0 lead.
 
In the bottom of the first, the Pioneers took the lead after getting two runners on, batting them in on a double into right field. A three-run homer in the bottom of the second increased the Pioneers' lead as the Macs found themselves down 5-1.
 
After a quiet third inning, William Paterson increased its' lead in the bottom of the fourth, scoring four runs on the inning to increase their lead to 9-1 over Immaculata.
 
Then, in the top of the fifth, Isaiah Payton scored on a two-out fielding error by the Pioneers. Later in the inning, Joey Wright slapped a bases loaded single, scoring Margiotta and Chris Javier as the Macs reduced the Pioneers' lead to 9-4.
 
Following the Macs' three-run fifth inning, neither team mustered any offense until the top of the seventh, the final inning in game two of the doubleheader.. With the Macs down to their out, Sacco was a hit by a pitch, putting a baserunner on for the Macs. Wright and Crowding then each worked walks, loading the bases for the Macs. Struble then stepped up to the plate, hitting a single through the right side, scoring Sacco in the process. With the game-tying run at the plate, the Macs were unable to muster any additional offense as they dropped game two 9-5.
 
Sacco went 2-for-3 on the game for Immaculata, scoring one run and hitting one double. Struble went 2-for-4 again in game two while Margiotta scored twice while recording a walk.
 
The Mighty Macs will return to action on Tuesday as they face off with Delaware Valley in the Macs' home opener.