IMMACULATA, Pa. – Immaculata baseball was one out away from a win on Friday afternoon, but the Marymount University Saints pulled away in the top of the ninth inning for the victory.
The Mighty Macs are 3-9 for the season. They are 0-1 in conference play.
HOW IT HAPPENED AGAINST MARYMOUNT
- Alex LePage got to work early with two strikeouts in the top of the first. The initial three innings were a defensive battle from both sides. The Mighty Macs caught a Saints runner stealing in the top of the third, and LePage finished the inning off with a strikeout. However, Marymount logged a 1-2-3 bottom of the third to keep the game scoreless.
- Immaculata struck first in the scoring column with a Ryan Nace sac-fly to score Danny Nocito. The Saints responded in the sixth with a solo home run on the first batter of the inning. With bases loaded, the Mighty Macs' defense registered a fly-out to retire the side. It was 1-1 through six.
- Marymount took the lead in the seventh with an RBI double before Ryan Barrow struck out the last two batters. Immaculata loaded the bases and knotted the score 2-2, thanks to a Logan Barndt RBI walk. Immaculata once again caught a Saints runner stealing in the eighth to keep runners out of scoring position. A Luke Baumann walk placed a runner on every base in the bottom of the eighth, and a Matt Passerini walk was good for an RBI and the 3-2 advantage. Luke Hardnock reached first on a fielder's choice on the next play to increase the lead. After a Marymount score in the top of the ninth, the Saints substituted a pinch hitter with two outs. Marymount knocked in a go-ahead three-run home run to seal the game. The Mighty Macs were retired in the bottom of the ninth. Marymount grabbed game one of the series 6-4.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS
- Robert Woodward led with two runs.
- Nocito, Hardnock, and Nick Turnage each had two hits.
- Hardnock, Passerini, Barndt, and Nace all had an RBI.
- LePage recorded eight strikeouts in six innings of work on the mound.
UP NEXT
The Mighty Macs head to Marymount tomorrow, Saturday, March 21 to play the Saints in a doubleheader. Game time is set for 2 p.m.