NORTHVILLE, Mich. – In a game that featured its fair share of rain and wind, Macomb Softball lost a heartbreaker to host Schoolcraft College by a 10-9 final in eight innings Friday (April 15) in Northville. With the extra innings setback, the Monarchs record drops to 11-7 overall and 8-5 in the MCCAA Eastern Conference. The host Ocelots saw their record improve to 9-12 overall and 5-6 in the Eastern Conference with the narrow win.
The Monarchs jumped in front early behind a Rylee Thomas (Harrison Twp., Mich./L'Anse Creuse) double and a Samantha Scott (Romeo, Mich./Eisenhower) RBI single to take an early 1-0 lead after one inning of play. The lead would reach 3-0 in the third on an Elizabeth Townsend (Ira Twp., Mich./Anchor Bay) RBI single and a Skye Norris (Macomb, Mich./Anchor Bay) RBI via a bases-loaded walk.
Schoolcraft answered with four runs in the bottom of the third to inch in front, but the Monarchs responded with three runs of their own a half inning later, kickstarted by a Danielle Erickson (Sterling Heights, Mich./Sterling Heights) triple that brought Emma Lautenbach (Warren, Mich./Center Line) in to score to tie the game at four runs apiece. Townsend broke the 4-4 tie with a shot to center field that plated two runs to push the Monarchs in front, 6-4.
After three Schoolcraft runs over the next two innings gave the Ocelotsa a 7-6 lead, the Blue & White regained control in the sixth inning thanks to a game-tying RBI double by Scott and a line drive to center by Townsend that brought Scott in to score to make it 8-7 in favor of the Monarchs.
The Ocelots would bring one run across in the bottom of the seventh to force an eighth inning. In the eighth, the Monarchs once again took the lead, 9-8, but the hosts ended the game in the home half of the inning with a two-run single for the 10-9 final score.
Scott and Townsend led the Monarchs with three hits each, while Townsend paced the RBI department with three runs driven in over five at-bats. Scott followed closely with two RBIs, while Erickson and Norris accounted for one RBI each. Erickson and Thomas each had two hits for the Monarchs in the narrow defeat.
Not to get lost in the shuffle, freshman catcher Nikki Syracuse (Macomb, Mich./Dakota) made the play of the game in the bottom of the seventh to help keep the Monarchs alive. Syracuse hustled out to grab a short Schoolcraft bunt and quickly dove back toward home to tag the Ocelots runner charging in from third for a then game-saving out.
Carly Sierzenga (Macomb, Mich./Dakota) struck out 11 in a valiant effort in the circle for the Monarchs. Game two was postponed due to poor weather and field conditions.
