GAME ONE HIGHLIGHTS: YOUTUBE
FLINT, Mich. – After over two weeks off, Macomb Softball returned to action Tuesday (March 29) for MCCAA Eastern Conference Opening Day at Mott. Conference play started out on a good note as the Monarchs took game one in dramatic fashion, earning a 6-5 comeback win after plating three runs in the seventh inning. The nightcap wasn't as kind as Mott used a strong start to earn a 5-0 win.
With the split, the Monarchs ended the day at 4-3 overall and an even 1-1 in the MCCAA East. The host Bears shifted their record to 7-8 overall and 1-1 in league play.
GAME ONE: Macomb 6, Mott 5
The Monarchs jumped on top early with two runs in the first when Elizabeth Townsend (Ira Twp., Mich./Anchor Bay) brought Danielle Erickson (Sterling Heights, Mich./Sterling Heights) and Jenna Casey (New Baltimore, Mich./Anchor Bay) in to score with a two-RBI single up the middle. An inning later, Erickson drove in the Monarchs third run of the game with an RBI double to deep center field. The Bears battled back from there and posted five unanswered runs to take a 5-3 lead into the seventh and final inning.
In the seventh, starting pitcher Carly Sierzenga (Macomb, Mich./Dakota) helped her own cause by getting the inning started with a hard hit single to left field. An Erickson walk would follow, bringing the go-ahead runner to the plate. One batter later, Casey reached second on an error, scoring Sierzenga and advancing Erickson to third on the play.
Trailing 5-4 and down to their final strike, freshman shortstop/catcher Rylee Thomas (Harrison Twp., Mich./L'Anse Creuse) came through in the clutch for the Monarchs and connected on a game-winning two-RBI single back up the middle that brought Casey and Erickson in to score to give the Blue & White a 6-5 win.
Sierzenga got the start and the win for the Monarchs after going the full seven innings while striking out 10 batters in her MCCAA East debut.
GAME TWO: Mott 5, Macomb 0
Mott tallied all five of their runs in the first inning in an otherwise defensive battle as the Bears won the nightcap by a 5-0 final score. Skye Norris (Macomb, Mich./Anchor Bay) came on in relief and impressed after working 5.2 innings of three-hit, shutout ball for the Monarchs. Norris also recorded four strikeouts to help keep the Bears scoreless over the final five-plus innings.
Erickson, Thomas, Samantha Scott (Romeo, Mich./Eisenhower) and Paige Seyfarth (Sterling Heights, Mich./Stevenson) all recorded hits for the Monarchs in Tuesday's latter game.
UP NEXT: Home Opener
Weather permitting, the Monarchs will host their home opener Friday (April 1) when defending MCCAA Eastern Conference Champion Henry Ford visits Warren for a doubleheader beginning at 3:00 p.m. Macomb Athletics will provide a free live stream of the doubleheader on www.MacombMonarchs.com/Watch.
