Immaculata forces deciding game, but falls just short of CSAC crown

After winning the first game of the day to force a winner-take-all Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) title game, the No. 2 Immaculata baseball team raced out to a 5-1 lead through six and a half innings against No. 1 Keystone, but the Giants put up five runs in the bottom of the seventh, and the Macs (26-12) were unable to come back in a tough 6-5 defeat that ended their 2017 season.

Sophomore Billy Manzo got his first start of the season and was great on the mound through six-plus innings to give IU a chance.

After getting a walk from senior designated hitter Howie Kalamets (2-for-4, 2 R, RBI, HBP) in the first, but nothing else, Manzo picked off a runner who reached on an error, and freshman catcher Tyler Kmiec made an off-balance catch in foul territory to send the game to the second tied at 0-0.

In the top of the second, the Macs got on the board to take the early lead. With two outs, senior right fielder Dom Ficca (1-for-3, R, BB) walked and moved to second on a balk, and senior shortstop Ryan Ficca (1-for3, RBI, BB) followed with an RBI single up the middle to stake the Macs to the early advantage.

The score held into the top of the third when senior centerfielder Jason McCormick (1-for-5, R, 3B) tripled to left-center and scored immediately on an RBI groundout by Kalamets to put the Macs up 2-0.

This Mighty Mac team set the school record for wins in a season with 26 and made it further than any team previously in school history.