Immaculata University

SCRANTON, Pa. – Immaculata's softball team earned a split Saturday afternoon against Marywood to keep its playoff hopes alive,  taking the second game of its Colonial States Athletic Conference doubleheader with the Pacers, 5-3. The Mighty Macs dropped the opener, 5-1.

The Pacers (25-10, 16-6 CSAC) took the early lead in the nightcap as Erika Cook had a lead-off triple and scored on an RBI single by Caitlin Hadzimichalis, who later came around to score when Ashley Dommes' doubled. Dommes then scored on a wild pitch, giving Marywood an early 3-0 lead.

However, that was the only offense the Pacers could muster in the second game, and the Mighty Macs began to claw their way back with two runs in the third inning. Megan Gallagher led off the inning with a single and Jackie Finkbohner followed her with a walk. After Melissa Fetter advanced both runs on an infield groundout, Valerie Rutt-Guerriere had a sacrifice fly to plate Gallagher. Carol Mastrosante then hit an RBI single to score Finkbohner.

The following inning, Immaculata (13-17, 12-8 CSAC) scored three more runs on three hits and one error to take a 5-3 lead, and held on for the win. Julia Lamplugh, Gallagher and Sara Holleran all scored in the inning for the Mighty Macs.

Rutt-Guerriere’s pitched a complete game to earn the win, allowing nine hits, walking one and striking out three. Marywood’s Mallory Gable took the loss despite striking out five batters in seven innings of work.

In the opener, the Mighty Macs pushed one run across in the first inning and held that lead until Marywood scored on an error that plated Kim Lope in the home half of the fourth.

The score remained knotted at 1-all until the sixth inning when Marywood scored four runs on three hits, including a two-run double by Jillian Flanagan to give the Pacers the final 5-1 margin.

Marywood starter Nikki Belles pitched all seven innings, allowing just three hits and striking out eight. Fetter took the loss in the circle for the Mighty Macs allowing six hits and getting five strikeouts.

Immaculata closes out the regular season on Sunday, traveling to Philadelphia Biblical at 1 p.m.