The Schoolcraft Ocelots Softball team dropped two games to the Mott Bears on Saturday, April 11, 2026 at Mission Field in Northville, MI.
For much of Saturday afternoon, the Schoolcraft showed it could go toe-to-toe with one of the conference’s top teams. But a dominant pitching performance from Mott Community College ultimately proved too much, as Schoolcraft fell 5-0 in game one on April 11.
The contest opened as a tightly played defensive battle, with both teams held scoreless through the first four innings. Schoolcraft pitcher Eryn McClendon worked out of multiple jams early, keeping Mott off the scoreboard despite steady pressure. The defense backed her up with solid infield play, highlighted by Jordyn Emery, who contributed several key assists.
Through those early innings, Schoolcraft appeared poised to break through. Emery provided a spark with a triple, and Mallory Traicoff added a hit, but the team was unable to capitalize against Mott starter Arika Hines.
The turning point came in the fifth inning, when Mott broke the deadlock with two runs. The visitors added another in the sixth inning before pulling away with a pair of runs in the seventh to seal the victory.
While McClendon limited the damage at times, holding Mott to just one earned run despite five total runs, the accumulation of baserunners eventually caught up. Mott finished with 12 hits and used aggressive base running to apply constant pressure.
Still, the story of the game centered on Hines, who delivered a commanding performance in the circle. She struck out 15 Schoolcraft hitters while allowing just three hits and one walk over seven innings, preventing any sustained offensive momentum.
Schoolcraft totaled three hits on the day but struggled to string together opportunities, as strikeouts halted several potential rallies before they could develop.
Despite the final score, the early innings reflected a competitive matchup, with Schoolcraft holding firm defensively and matching Mott’s intensity. The challenge moving forward will be translating those stretches into offensive production as the season continues.
Schoolcraft showed fight and offensive spark in game two of the afternoon doubleheader, but couldn’t hold off a mid-game surge from Mott Community College in a 7-4 loss.
The Ocelots came out strong, matching Mott early and even taking control in the opening innings. After trading runs in the first, Schoolcraft surged ahead in the second inning, plating two runs behind timely hitting from Lucy Whelan and Mallory Traicoff, each driving in runs to give Schoolcraft a 3–1 lead.
At the heart of the early offense was Jordyn Emery, who turned in an outstanding performance at the plate. Emery went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, including a double, consistently setting the tone and creating opportunities at the top of the lineup.
Mott responded in the third inning with a three-run rally to regain the lead, then added three more runs in the fifth to create separation. Despite the shift in momentum, Schoolcraft continued to compete and added a run later in the game, but couldn’t close the gap.
Schoolcraft finished with seven hits, matching Mott’s total, and showed the ability to generate offense throughout the lineup. Whelan and Traicoff each drove in two runs, while Melanie Buzo and others contributed key hits to keep pressure on Mott pitching.
In the circle, Ava Swiatkowski battled through five innings against a patient Mott lineup that drew seven walks. Despite allowing seven runs, she worked through multiple high-pressure situations before handing the ball off to Eryn McClendon, who provided two scoreless innings of relief and helped stabilize the game late.
Mott’s difference ultimately came from timely hitting and capitalizing on free passes, while Arika Hines earned the win in relief, limiting Schoolcraft to just one run over five innings.
Though the result didn’t go their way, Schoolcraft’s early offensive execution and resilience throughout the game highlighted a team capable of competing with top conference opponents.
Schoolcraft is now 6-16 overall and 3-10 in the MCCAA Eastern Conference.
