SANFORD, Pa. – The Immaculata baseball team split its seven-inning doubleheader versus St. John Fisher on Friday, winning game one 13-1 before dropping game two 8-1. The Mighty Macs now improve to a 5-4 record on the season, including a 5-1 record in spring break play.
Frank Margiotta recorded a lead-off walk to kick off game one. After stealing second base, Margiotta was batted in with two outs on a single from
Josh Crowding to give the Macs an early 1-0 lead.
The lead would not last long, however, as a leadoff home run from St. John Fisher tied the game up at 1-1.
With two outs in the top of the second, the Macs had two runners on looking to take the lead.
Steven Theisen attempted to steal second base but got caught in a rundown. Amidst the chaos,
Ricky Templeton stole home before Theisen was tagged out by the shortstop, giving the Macs a 2-1 lead on the final out of the inning.
Crowding picked up his second RBI of the day in the top of the third, scoring Sacco who reached base on a bunt earlier in the inning.
Up 3-1,
Louis Sharp and
Isaiah Payton reached base in the top of the fourth on a double and a walk. Theisen then hit a double of his own, batting in Sharp and moving Payton to third. Margiotta then batted in Payton on a sacrifice fly to center field, giving the Macs a 5-1 lead.
The Cardinals threatened with back-to-back singles in the bottom of the fourth but could not convert on the opportunity as they stood scoreless on the inning. The hits would be their last on the game as
Mason Keller pitched five innings of one-run baseball, striking out five while allowing only one hit.
Luis Flores then came in and pitched two shutout innings, allowing one baserunner in the form of a walk.
The Macs, however, were not finished scoring as the game went into the top of the fifth. After loading the bases, Sharp hit an infield single, scoring Crowding. Payton then cleared the bases on a double into left center field, giving the Macs a 9-1 advantage over the Cardinals.
The top of the sixth went much the same way for the Macs as they scored four additional runs on the inning, highlighted by a two-RBI single from Margiotta as the Macs walked away with a 13-1 victory in game one.
Margiotta and Payton each recorded three RBI on the day while reaching base a combined six times. Crowding, meanwhile, went 4-for-5 on the game, scoring two runs and two RBI.
Game two, the Cardinals took an early lead, scoring on groundouts in the second and third innings to claim a 2-0 lead.
The Macs responded in the bottom of the third.
Joey Sacco reached base on a throwing error, later advancing to third on a double from
Joey Wright. Crowding then batted in Sacco on a single, cutting the Cardinals' lead to 2-1.
The run would be the Macs' lone run of the game as they would be unable to drive in runners the rest of the game. The Cardinals, meanwhile, scored six runs from the fourth through sixth inning, including four runs in the sixth as they claimed game two 8-1.
Sacco scored the Macs' lone run of the game, going 0-for-3 with a walk on the game. Wright, Crowding, and Sharp, meanwhile each went 2-for-3 on the game.
The Mighty Macs will face Saint Joseph's College of Maine tomorrow in their final spring break matchup. Their match against the Monks is scheduled to start at 9:15 A.M.
