DETROIT, Mich. – Macomb Baseball plated four in the opening inning behind a Brady Krzciok (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston/Madonna) RBI double and a Reese Rinna (Richmond, Mich./Richmond) 3-run home run and later brought one across in the eighth to earn 5-4 victory over Schoolcraft in Detroit on Thursday (March 21).

While the first inning fireworks highlighted the Monarchs' afternoon at the plate, the pitching trio of Oliver Barkal (Winnetka, Ill./New Trier/Niagara), Cooper Batzold (Troy, Mich./Athens) and Jack Saputo (Windsor, Ontario/St. Anne's Catholic) held the Ocelot bats at bay as they combined for 11 strikeouts while only allowing two earned runs.

Barkal got the start and struck out six in 5 1/3 innings of action before giving way to Batzold who came on to earn the win, his first at the collegiate level, after working 2 2/3 innings of one-hit ball. Batzold fanned three batters and helped get the Monarchs out of a sixth inning jam as part of his winning performance.

Saputo came on in the ninth and struck out a pair of Ocelots before inducing a ground ball to second for the game-ending out.

Luke Babcock (Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich./Grosse Pointe North/Madonna) returned to the lineup and tied Dylan Pawenski (Shelby Twp., Mich./Utica/Madonna) for the team-high in hits with two. Pawenski went 2-for-3 while Babcock came around to score a run on top of his two-hit day.

The Monarchs are slated to return to action Saturday (March 23) at home against Mott. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. in Warren.