WARREN, Mich. – Talk about sending your sophomores out winners on Sophomore Day! Elizabeth Townsend was other-worldly Thursday (April 28) as the third-year first baseman blasted five home runs to lead Macomb Softball to a doubleheader sweep over the visiting Raiders of Oakland Community College. Behind Townsend's career day, and a strong team performance overall, the Monarchs won game one by an 8-5 final tally and earned a thrilling 13-12 walk-off, comeback victory in the nightcap.

With the wins, the Monarchs won the season series with OCC, handing the Raiders three of their four conference losses this season. The pair of wins, combined with other results around the conference, saw the Monarchs clinch a spot in the NJCAA Division II Region XII District B Tournament May 12-14 in Stevensville, Mich. The winner of the tournament earns a berth to the NJCAA Division II National Championship in Oxford, Ala.

The Monarchs ended their memorable Sophomore Day with an overall record of 20-9 and a league record of 17-7.

GAME ONE: Macomb 8, OCC 5

Elizabeth Townsend (Ira Twp., Mich./Anchor Bay) was just getting warmed up in game one and went on to post a 3-for-4 performance with two home runs, three RBIs and three runs scored to lead the Monarchs to the 8-5 win. Rylee Thomas (Harrison Twp., Mich./L'Anse Creuse) followed with two RBIs, while Natalie Lerchenfeld (Macomb, Mich./Dakota) and Skye Norris (Macomb, Mich./Anchor Bay) went 2-for-4 with an RBI each as part of a balanced team attack in game one.

The Monarchs started strong and never trailed in game one as a Thomas sacrifice fly and Townsend's second home run helped turn a 1-1 tie in the third inning into a 4-1 Macomb lead. The Monarchs would post another big inning in the sixth, led off by an RBI single by Lerchenfeld to push the Monarchs ahead, 5-3. Samantha Scott (Romeo, Mich./Eisenhower) recorded an RBI single of her own later in the inning to make it 6-3, while Thomas and Norris notched an RBI each to help the Monarchs increase their lead to 8-3 at the end of six innings played.

Scott's RBI single would stand as the game-winning hit in the opener as the Monarchs would close it out a half inning later for the 8-5 victory.

The pitching tandem of Jackie Seyfarth (Sterling Heights, Mich./Stevenson) and Carly Sierzenga (Macomb, Mich./Dakota) combined to scatter 10 hits on five earned runs while striking out six in game one.

GAME TWO: Macomb 13, OCC 12

Trailing by seven (12-5) midway through the game, the Monarchs erupted for a six-run fifth inning to get to within one (12-11) after Elizabeth Townsend hit her second home run of game two, followed by a home run by Samantha Scott, and then the big shot—career grand slam No. 1 by Danielle Erickson (Sterling Heights, Mich./Sterling Heights).

Townsend wasn't done as the talented first baseman hit her fifth home run of the afternoon an inning later, a solo shot in the sixth that knotted the nightcap up, 12-12. The Monarchs defense held, setting the scene for a potential walk-off in the bottom of the seventh and the Blue & White delivered when Erickson hit a ball in the gap between third and shortstop to bring Emma Lautenbach (Warren, Mich./Center Line) around to score for the thrilling 13-12 walk-off win.

While Townsend recorded a day for the ages, Erickson was special in game two on her way to a amassing eight RBIs in Thursday's latter game alone. Townsend went 4-for-4 with three home runs, four RBIs and three runs scored, and Erickson was 4-for-5 with two home runs, eight RBIs and two runs scored in game two.

Skye Norris came on to pitch the final two innings and made the Monarchs' comeback possible after holding the Raiders scoreless on two hits to earn the win.

Thank you, Sophomores!

The Monarchs honored the follow sophomores/second and third year players this afternoon: Nicole Husken, Jackie Seyfarth, Paige Seyfarth, Kennedi Sobol, Jenna Casey, Madison Beard, Elizabeth Townsend, and Skye Norris! Thank you, Monarchs, for everything you have done for the program! Keep writing your story…