By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Macomb, MI---The No. 12 Express softball team closed out Macomb Community College with a 3-1 win before falling 4-2 in the second game today. The first game picked up in the top of the sixth inning after it was suspended on March 22 due to darkness.
Game 1: Owens 3 Macomb 1
Kasey Graham pitched well for five innings, while Ashlyn Michalak pitched the final two innings for her third save.
Graham allowed three hits, one run and zero walks while striking out five through five. Michalak allowed three baserunners in her two innings, but struck out four to end two threats.
Michelle Hollister plated all three runs for the Express. In the second, her two-run triple scored Melanie Iacoangeli and Hannah Morrison, who had both walked. Then, in the fourth, she hit a solo homer with two outs.
The sophomore second baseman finished 2-for-3 with a run, three RBIs, a triple and a home run.
The only run for Macomb came in the fourth Graham gave up a two-out RBI double to Shanel Johnstone.
Graham moved to 11-1 this year, while Michalak allowed one hit and two walks while striking out four in her two innings to pick up her third save.
Click here for the box score from game one.
Game 2: Macomb 4 Owens 2
Both teams battled strong winds, but the Monarchs handled it better in a 4-2 defeat of the Express.
Katie Butler got things started with a two-out RBI single to left center to put the Express up 1-0 in the first. The rally had started with two outs and nobody on when Sydney Barron and Allison Hausch took back-to-back hit by pitches from Macomb's starter Megan Dyer.
The Monarchs then tied it up in the bottom half with a solo run off Michalak. Each team went 1-2-3 in the second before the Monarchs broke through with three runs in the bottom of the second.
That third inning featured four straight walks - two with the bases loaded. The final walk came from Graham, who relieved Michalak with one out and the bases loaded.
Graham pitched well to control the damage. After allowing the bases loaded walk, she got an out at home and a strike out to end the inning.
In the fourth, Alyssa Lassey had a two out RBI single to right field that scored Kenny Craig, who was hit by a pitch with one out. That was the final run of the game for either team, however.
Graham pitched the fourth and fifth innings, while Lexi Sheets pitched the sixth. Graham's final line included 2.2 innings, two hits, one walk and two strikeouts, while Sheets allowed one hit in a scoreless inning.
With the loss, Michalak fell to 17-2. Her final line included 2.1 innings, four hits, four runs, four walks and three strikeouts. Meanwhile, Dyer threw a complete game to pick up the win for Macomb.
Butler finished 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Lassey was 1-for-2 with an RBI. Hollister and Iacoangeli had the other two hits for the Express, who struggled offensively.
Macomb's Whitney Weston gave the Express fits as the leadoff hitter finished 3-for-4 with two runs. She got both Macomb rallies started in the first and third innings.
Notes
The No. 12 Express fall to 37-5 this year, while Macomb improves to 30-20.
Owens will travel to Oakland Community College tomorrow for a doubleheader against the Raiders. It will mark the regular season finale for the team before Region XII tournament play begins next week.
Iacoangeli picked her her 60th and 61st steals of the season in today's doubleheader. She is now 11 away from tying the single season record of 72 held by Kylie Zweifel.