WARREN, Mich. – Macomb Baseball picked up a Sunday (April 14) sweep over the visiting Ocelots of Schoolcraft College behind a 3-2 walk-off win in game one and an 8-4 series finale victory in game two. The pair of wins lifts the Monarchs to 14-12 overall and 8-4 in the MCCAA Eastern Conference.
The next conference series will be against Mott Community College as the Monarchs visit Flint on Thursday (April 18) before hosting the Bears on Saturday. The four-game series is set for a 2 p.m. first pitch on Thursday in Flint and a 1 p.m. start time in Warren on Saturday.
GAME ONE: Macomb 3, Schoolcraft 2
Hector Jaimes started Sunday's opener and was impressive across his six innings on the mound as the Wayne State transfer held the Ocelots to two runs on six hits while striking out five.
Jack Saputo came on to work the seventh inning and struck out one before inducing an inning-ending 1-6-3 double play. Saputo's stellar seventh inning performance would notch the freshman reliever his second win of the campaign after
Derek Ruiz got hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh to help lift the Monarchs to the 3-2 walk-off victory.
Ryan McKay,
Dane Richards and
Reese Rinna led the Monarchs with two hits each while McKay and Richards joined
Ty Stepek as the three Monarchs who doubled in Sunday's opener. Richards, Ruiz and
Alex Mendes drove in a run each in the wild walk-off win.
The Monarchs were active on the base paths as
Riley Ames,
Adrian Epps, Rinna and Stepek all stole a base.
GAME TWO: Macomb 8, Schoolcraft 4
Dylan Pawenski drove in a game-high three runs on a perfect 3-for-3 performance with a sacrifice fly, while
Riley Ames (2-for-2) and
Dane Richards (2-for-3, RBI) stayed hot to propel the Monarchs to the 8-4 series finale victory.
Vincent Cowdrey capped off a four-run fourth inning with a sacrifice fly of his own to help the Monarchs turn a 4-4 tie into the eventual 8-4 final.
Derek Neufeld started game two and fanned four over three innings on the hill before giving way to
Brandon Rice who went on to record his best outing in a Macomb uniform. The sophomore transfer put on a show, striking out eight over four innings of work while holding the Ocelots to one unearned run on two hits for his first win of the season.
