LEESBURG, Fla. – Macomb Baseball opened its spring break trip at the Florida RussMatt Invitational on Saturday (March 7) with a doubleheader split against MCCAA counterpart Mid Michigan College. The Monarchs won game one, 10-0, in six innings before dropping game two by a 9-7 final. With the split, the Monarchs are now 3-7 on the young season.
GAME ONE: Macomb 10, Mid Michigan 0 (6 inn.)
The Monarchs scored runs in each of the first three innings to take a 6-0 lead before adding a pair of runs in the fifth and sixth innings to win the game via run rule.
Buster Debol had a big Florida opener at the plate for the Monarchs, going 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBIs. Reigning MCCAA Eastern Conference Player of the Week Marwynn Matthews Jr also went 3-for-4 while recording four stolen bases. Peyton Rich continued his strong start with a 2-for-4 game one that included a double and a pair of RBIs.
On the mound, Greg Burns tossed five innings of one-hit ball while striking out seven to move to 2-1 on the season. Burns was relieved by Drew Dutkiewicz in the sixth inning, who retired the Lakers in order to complete the win.
GAME TWO: Macomb 7, Mid Michigan 9
In game two, the Monarchs loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh with one out. The rally was stopped after only one run got across as the Lakers turned a 1-2-3 double play to hold off the Monarchs for the two-run win.
The Monarchs dug a big hole early as the Lakers scored five over the first two innings thanks in part to errors. The Lakers would tack on two more to take a 7-0 lead before the Monarchs tallied six in the fifth to get within one run. The Lakers responded with a pair of insurance runs in the top of the sixth and the Monarchs scored one in the home half of the seventh before a double play ended the contest.
Rich went 3-for-4 at the plate with an RBI. Matthews Jr. drove in two runs, while Lochlan Stoudt went 1-for-2 with two RBIs, driving in the runs via a solo home run and a sacrifice fly.
UP NEXT:
The Monarchs are back in action bright and early Sunday (March 8) morning to take on North Dakota State College of Science in a doubleheader slated to begin at 9:00 a.m. at the Chain of Lakes Park (Field 1) in Winter Haven, Fla.