CARTERSVILLE, Ga. – Macomb Baseball got the 2025 season underway on Saturday (Feb. 22) in Cartersville, Ga., against a pair of ranked NJCAA Division I opponents. The Monarchs opened against the host and sixth-ranked Chargers of Georgia Highlands College, a team who entered the day with a 12-1 record coming off a 2024 campaign where they made it to the final four of the NJCAA Division I World Series.
 
The opener went in favor of the No. 6 Chargers by a 14-4 final in five innings. Despite the final score, the Monarchs battled tough and entered the fourth inning trailing by one run, 5-4, before the Chargers broke the game open with a nine-run inning to secure the win.
 
Game two was competitive throughout against NJCAA D1 No. 15 Wabash Valley as the Monarchs plated three runs in the second inning to take a 3-1 lead. The two-run advantage didn't last for long as the Warriors brought three across in the following frame to take a 4-3 lead in an eventual 5-3 decision.
 
Luke Babcock, a redshirt freshman catcher/first baseman, led the Monarchs on the afternoon with three hits as part of a 3-for-5 day with two RBI. Riley Ames and Vincent Cowdrey each had a double, while newcomer Matt Hanneman recorded the Monarchs' lone home run on the day, his first at the collegiate level.
 
On the mound, sophomore right-handed pitcher Dominic Miller highlighted the day with a shutdown performance across three innings of work in game two. Miller made the most of his first appearance of the season as the sophomore didn't allow a hit while striking out a pair and walking none for a 0.00 ERA and .00 WHIP.
 
The Monarchs wrap up their first spring trip with a Sunday twin bill that mirrors Saturday's doubleheader as a game opposite No. 6 Georgia Highlands is up first at 12 p.m. with a 3 p.m. contest against No. 15 Wabash Valley to follow.