NORTHVILLE, Mich. – Ticket punched! Macomb Softball bounced back from a tough luck game one loss to win Friday's (April 26) nightcap, 6-4, in eight innings over Schoolcraft and clinched their spot in the playoffs in the process. The extra innings win shifted the team's record to 20-12 overall and 16-6 in the MCCAA Eastern Conference and secured the latest trip to the postseason for eighth year head coach Jim Beard and the Monarchs.
 
The Monarchs know they are NJCAA Division II Great Lakes District Tournament bound, but which tournament (A or B) will be determined next week as the conference standings play out. The Great Lakes District Tournaments will take place at Marysville City Park May 9-11. For links to the district tournament homepages, visit: http://njcaaregion12.org/championships/2023-24/Index
 
As for Friday's contests, the Monarchs dropped a tough opener by a 2-1 final. The Monarchs made hard contact throughout, but a Schoolcraft defender was right there to make a play on nearly every occasion in the narrow defeat.

Trailing 4-2 in the top of the seventh in game two, Kaycee Stang (Fraser, Mich./Fraser) played the role of hero and hit a two out, two-RBI double to center that plated Carleigh Bilpo (Sterling Heights, Mich./Henry Ford II) and Brynn Beyer (Chesterfield, Mich./L'Anse Creuse North).
 
Stang's clutch double sent the game to extras where the Monarchs would win it in the eighth behind a Lexi Murray (Clinton Twp., Mich./Chippewa Valley) leadoff triple and the eighth home run of the season by Ally Prasnjak (St. Clair Shores, Mich./Lakeview).
 
Allison Vogt (Chesterfield, Mich./Anchor Bay) got the game two start in the circle and went on to toss all eight innings to record her seventh win of the campaign.
 
Murry went 2-for-2 with a double and a triple to pace the Monarch bats in the winning effort.
 
The Monarchs return to action tomorrow (April 27) at home against Mott Community College. First pitch for the MCCAA East doubleheader is scheduled for 1 p.m.