MARIANNA, Fla. – The 2022 campaign officially got underway Saturday (March 5) when Macomb Baseball visited the NJCAA Division I No. 4 Chipola College Indians. The fourth-ranked Indians, already with 25 games of experience this season compared to the Monarchs none, pulled away in the third and fourth innings before eventually winning Saturday's single nine-inning tilt by a 14-1 final.

Playing for the first time all season and the first time outdoors on a field since fall ball season, the Monarchs battled early before Chipola's bats got hot. Gary Glaser III (Chesterfield, Mich./Lutheran North) got the Opening Day nod and Joey Tedesco (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich./Grosse Pointe North) came on in relief and impressed, tossing two innings of three-hit ball to go along with three strikeouts. Tedesco, a transfer from NCAA Division II Hillsdale College, only surrendered one run in his two innings of work against one of juco's best offenses. Jack Demetral (Macomb, Mich./Dakota) also struck out three batters for the Monarchs.

Leadoff batter Logan Rybarcyzk (Chesterfield, Mich./Anchor Bay) collected the Monarchs lone hit of the afternoon, while Reese Rinna (Richmond, Mich./Richmond) was credited with his first collegiate RBI and also earned a walk in two plate appearances.

The Monarchs (0-1) return to action Sunday (March 6) at Pasco-Hernando. First pitch is slated for 3:00 p.m. in New Port Richey, Fla.