Pacers Clinch Post-Season Berth with 3-2 Win Over Immac
Nic Arrue played a roll in all three runs as Marywood beat Immaculata 3-2 Friday to clinch a playoff berth

Pacers Clinch Post-Season Berth with 3-2 Win Over Immac

Baseball - 5/1/2015 5:49:00 PM

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Scranton, PA - Strong pitching and timely hitting propelled Marywood University into the Colonial States Athletic Conference playoffs for the second time in program history as the Pacers beat visiting Immaculata University 3-2 Friday afternoon. Marywood moved to 19-8 overall and 11-5 in league play while Immaculata sits at 16-13, 10-6 CSAC after the loss.

Joseph DiLoreto struck out five and allowed just five hits over 6.1 innings of work before Russell Baldino shut down the Mighty Mac bats over the final 2.2 innings as he struck out four without allowing a hit. DiLoreto improved to 5-1 on the year with the win while Baldino got his first save.

The win qualifies the Pacers to the CSAC post season for the first time since 2012 and for the second time in program history.

Immaculata starter Dan Whalen (3-3) was strong as well as he struck out four and allowed just two earned runs on eight hits over a complete-game effort in the loss.

The Mighty Macs still reach the CSAC post-season as well as Keystone eliminated Gywnedd Mercy from contention Friday afternoon. Marywood, Immaculata, Neumann and Keystone will all be playing for seeding Saturday.

Immaculata jumped ahead 1-0 in the third. Dom Ficca doubled down the right field line to lead off the inning and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt, but was gunned down at the plate by Daniel Hull on the next at-bat. On Hull's fielder's choice play to the plate, Howie Kalamets moved to second and would come home for the game's first run when Jason McCormick tripled to right center.

Marywood answered and tied the game at 1-1 as Nic Arrue bunted down the third base line and reached first and moved up two bases to third on Erik Pulkkinen's single to right. Vince Rebar then hit a shot to third that could not be fielded cleanly and Arrue tied the game on an unearned run.

The Mighty Macs went up 2-1 in the top of the sixth on and single to left center. Rob Wallace walked to start the inning and moved to second then third on consecutive wild pitches. Wallace would score on pinch-hitter Matt Simon's single.

Again, Marywood found the answer they needed in the bottom half of the inning. Thomas Richards walked to open the inning, and after a foul fly-out down the right field line would move to second on Tommy Smith's single to right. Matt Sherlock would get the job done and move the runners up a base on a infield ground-out, setting up Arrue's heroics.

Arrue hit a single up the middle of the infield beating both a diving short stop and second baseman as Richards and Smith advanced home to put the Pacers up 3-2.

In the bottom of the seventh, Baldino got the first out an a ground-out to first but came out of the game after that play. Baldino was solid the rest of the way, not allowing another base runner.

The Pacers and Mighty Macs will close the regular season with a doubleheader at Immaculata Saturday beginning at noon.
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