WARREN, Mich. – What a day in Warren! Macomb Baseball earned their latest series win by sweeping the Henry Ford College Hawks on Friday (April 26) with a pair of run rule victories, topping the visitors in game one, 13-3, before cruising to a 17-2 decision in the latter contest. The doubleheader sweep lifted Monarchs to 20-14 overall and 13-5 in the MCCAA Eastern Conference.
 
The Monarchs are 3-0 against the Hawks this season after winning the 9-inning meeting, 11-6, back on March 29. In all, the Monarchs have outscored the Hawks by a 41-11 total over the course of their three meetings this season.
 
GAME ONE: Macomb 13, Henry Ford 3 (6 Inn.)
Trailing 3-1 in the fifth, Brady Krzciok (Clarkston, Mich./Clarkston/Madonna Univ.) kick-started a nine-run inning with an RBI single to right field that brought Riley Ames (Sylvania, Ohio/Northview) in to score. Ty Stepek (Commerce Twp., Mich./Walled Lake Northern/GVSU) had an RBI single of his own one batter later to tie the game, 3-3, and Alex Mendes (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) doubled to left center to bring home Stepek and put the Monarchs in front, 4-3.
 
Dylan Pawenski (Shelby Twp., Mich./Utica/Madonna Univ.) came on to pinch hit and followed Mendes' double with a 3-run, opposite field home run to extend the lead to 7-3. The Monarchs would tack on three more runs in the fifth to take a 10-3 lead at the end of the high-octane frame.
 
Mendes continued his strong day with an opposite field home run in the sixth, a solo shot that made it 11-3, and Ryan McKay (Macomb, Mich./Chippewa Valley) walked it off with a two-RBI double to left center for the 13-3 run rule victory in six innings.
 
Oliver Barkal (Winnetka, Ill./New Trier/Niagara Univ.) went six strong on the mound and kept the Hawks off balance to move to 4-0 on the season.
 
GAME TWO: Macomb 17, Henry Ford 2 (5 Inn.)
The Monarchs posted 15 runs in the fourth inning of game two to turn a 2-2 tie into a 17-2 win in five innings. The incredible inning was highlighted by a towering two-run blast by Ty Stepek that went well beyond the left field wall. Stepek connected on a bases-clearing triple later in the inning as part of a 3-for-4 nightcap with five RBIs.
 
Hector Jaimes (Trenton, Mich./Western International/Wayne State Univ.) was in control throughout and picked up his second win in as many outings after tossing five shut down innings.
 
Riley Ames, Ryan McKay, Reese Rinna (Richmond, Mich./Richmond) and Derek Ruiz (Port Huron, Mich./Port Huron Northern/Madonna Univ.) all doubled in the game two victory. Ruiz and Brady Krzciok drove in three runs each to follow Stepek's five-RBI output.
 
UP NEXT: Series Finale Monday
The Monarchs will visit Historic Hamtramck Stadium on Monday (April 29) to wrap up the season series with the Hawks. First pitch for conference doubleheader is set for 2 p.m.