TAYLOR, Mich. – Season sweep! Macomb Softball outscored Henry Ford by a 25-2 margin Friday (April 22) to improve their record to 14-9 overall and 11-7 in the MCCAA Eastern Conference. The Monarchs won game one, 12-2, and closed out the doubleheader with a 13-0 victory on a day where the Blue & White mashed five home runs on 25 runs overall while only allowing nine hits by the Hawks.
With the pair of victories, the Monarchs swept all four games this season with the Hawks, last year's MCCAA Eastern Conference Champions.
GAME ONE: Macomb 12, Henry Ford 2 (Final/5 innings)
The Monarchs posted all 12 of their runs over the first three innings to run away with Friday's opener by a 12-2 final tally. Samantha Scott (Romeo, Mich./Eisenhower) kickstarted what would be an amazing day at the plate with a two-run home run over the center field wall to give the Monarchs a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Elizabeth Townsend (Ira Twp., Mich./Anchor Bay) followed two batters later with a two-run blast of her own, the first baseman's team-leading sixth home run of the season. Townsend's home run gave the Monarchs a 4-0 lead acted as the game-winning hit in the 12-2 decision.
Six more runs would cross home plate in the second inning, highlighted by Scott's second two-run home run of the game. Red-hot as of late, Scott went a perfect 3-for-3 in game one with five RBIs and two runs scored.
While Scott's two home runs and Townsend's two-run shot highlighted the game, four other Monarchs recorded extra-base hits as Jenna Casey (New Baltimore, Mich./Anchor Bay), Danielle Erickson (Sterling Heights, Mich./Sterling Heights) Natalie Lerchenfeld (Macomb, Mich./Dakota) and Nikki Syracuse (Macomb, Mich./Dakota) all connected on doubles in the 10-run victory.
Jackie Seyfarth (Sterling Heights, Mich./Stevenson) got the start and earned her fifth win of the season after holding the Hawks to two runs on seven hits over five innings.
GAME TWO: Macomb 13, Henry Ford 0 (Final/6 innings)
A five-run first inning was all the Monarchs needed in the series finale, but the Blue & White left no doubt after plating eight runs in the sixth inning to earn a 13-0 victory in six innings. With the win, the Monarchs earned back-to-back run-rule victories over a talented Hawks team behind a balanced display of offense and defense.
Carly Sierzenga (Macomb, Mich./Dakota) was in complete control throughout on her way to win No. 8 of the season. The freshman lefty struck out nine batters while only allowing four hits in a complete-game shutout performance.
With Sierzenga keeping the Hawks grounded, the Monarchs offense remained hot as Danielle Erickson and Nicole Husken (Sterling Heights, Mich./Stevenson) connected on home runs to provide the exclamation point on a great day overall for the Blue & White. On top of her home run, Husken was one of four Monarchs with a double in game two and ended the contest a perfect 3-for-3 at the plate with four RBIs and two runs scored.
Natalie Lerchenfeld, Skye Norris (Macomb, Mich./Anchor Bay) and Nikki Syracuse also recorded doubles in the runaway victory.
In all, eight Monarchs had two or more hits in the game, led by Husken with three.
