MELBOURNE, Fla. – With only two active sophomores on the roster, a young Macomb Softball team opened the 2025 campaign on an unlucky note as errors proved to be too much to overcome in a pair of losses Monday (March 3) at the Space Coast Games.

The Monarchs led 4-2 in the opener before Muskegon Community College posted six unearned runs in the fifth inning to come back and win, 8-4. Game two saw the Monarchs commit a handful of errors in a 22-18 high-octane setback to Kalamazoo Valley Community College.

In game one, the new look Monarchs started strong offensively but cooled in the latter innings as the trio of Alexa Garofalo, Raegan Hemelberg and Aubrey Rich drove in a run each. Sophomores Grace Dzikowski and Sydney Urban came on to pinch hit late and both delivered at the plate with Urban accounting for the lone extra-base hit in the opener on a seventh inning double down the left field line.

Dzikowski came on to pitch the final inning and sat down Muskegon in order while striking out a batter.

In game two, the Monarchs erupted offensively to the tune of 18 runs, but a slew of errors hindered the team's efforts to secure a split on the day in the high-scoring affair. Paige Muehlbrandt put on quite the display as the freshman went 4-for-5 with three RBI and four runs scored on a pair of triples and a double. The impressive display at the plate was followed by Kailey Viviano who drove in two runs on two triples (2-for-3). Hemelberg and Rich picked up where they left off in game one as Rich had a 3-for-5 nightcap with three RBI and a run scored and Hemelberg drove in a team-best four runs on a double and a triple.

Sydney Urban came across to score three times in Monday's latter game as part of a 2-for-4 effort with a double, while Angelina Viviano doubled to drive in a pair of runs and Savanna Smith brought in one run on a RBI triple.

The Monarchs return to the diamond Tuesday at 2:30 p.m. against a split squad from Siena Heights University. Game two is a rematch of Monday's nightcap as the Monarchs take on Kalamazoo Valley at 7 p.m.