WARREN, Mich. – The long-awaited 2023 home opener was full of great moments, but the games ultimately didn't go in favor of the host Monarchs as the visiting Oakland Community College Raiders won both to remain unbeaten in conference play. The Monarchs dropped game one, 12-8, after the Raiders scored eight in the top of the seventh to earn the comeback win. The Raiders took game two by a 10-4 final tally.

The losses dropped the Monarchs record to 7-10 overall and 1-4 in MCCAA Eastern Conference play. The Raiders improved to 17-9 overall and 12-0 in the conference.

Before the Raiders came back to win the opener, the Monarchs had a comeback of their own, erasing a 4-0 deficit by plating the game's next seven runs to take a 7-4 lead into the final inning. Elizabeth Townsend (New Baltimore, Mich./Anchor Bay) got the scoring started with a two-RBI single in the third inning to cut the deficit in half, 4-2. Samantha Scott (Romeo, Mich./Eisenhower) hit the first of her two home runs on the day in the fourth inning and Brynn Beyer (Chesterfield, Mich./L'Anse Creuse North) followed one inning later with her first of two long balls on the day.

One batter after Beyer, Townsend stepped to the plate and made history by hitting the 19^th home run of her career – the most home runs in Macomb Softball history. Townsend's historic blast gave the Monarchs the lead in the fifth inning, but the Blue & White couldn't hold on late as the Raiders rallied to win.

Townsend paced the Monarchs with a 2-for-3 effort with three RBIs, while Savanna Clark (St. Clair, Mich./St. Clair), Danielle Erickson (Sterling Heights, Mich./Sterling Heights) and Emma Lautenbach (Warren, Mich./Center Line) joined Beyer and Scott with one hit each in the opener.

Beyer and Scott each connected on their second home run of the day in the nightcap and Clark posted a team-best two hits on a 2-for-3 effort to highlight Friday's latter game.

The Monarchs head to Ward Church in Northville for a doubleheader with the Schoolcraft College Ocelots tomorrow (April 8). First pitch is 1 p.m. – no live stream is available, follow along on GameChanger. The address to Ward Church is 40000 Six Mile Rd., Northville.