Macalester vs. Augsburg box scores: Game 1 | Game 2

The Scots earned their second straight MIAC sweep at the new Nicholson Baseball Field when they beat Augsburg 8-7 and 3-1 to even the team's overall and conference records at 12-12 and 4-4, respectively. Macalester avoided extra innings by scoring in the bottom of the seventh of the first game on a safety squeeze bunt and then stranded 10 Auggie base runners in the nightcap to complete the sweep.

After starting the league season at 0-4 after playing St. John's and St. Thomas, the Scots now trail only four teams in the early-season MIAC standings. They tossed a pair of shutouts last weekend over St. Mary's in the home opener. Augsburg is now 11-12 on the year and is also .500 in the league at 3-3.

Graham Brown (Fy., Annandale, Minn.) went 5-for-7 on the day and Devin English (Jr., Annapolis, Md. / DeMatha) went 4-for-6 with his first home run of the spring to lead the charge.  Brown is now batting .444 and English is at .400 on the season.  Michael Kennedy (Jr., Chicago, Ill. / Northside Prep) belted the first home run in the new ballpark with a solo shot to left in the first game.

After the Auggies tied the opener at 7-7 with a single run in the top of the seventh inning, Macalester won the battle in the bottom of the seventh when Nate Rubin (Fy., Venice, Fla.) walked and scored the winning run when Will Chen (So., Edina, Minn.) laid down a perfect bunt down the first base line. The ball rolled a little foul before coming back and dying just a few inches inside the foul line. Rubin had advanced to third on a couple wild pitches.

Macalester led 4-1 early and Augsburg led 6-4 after scoring four in the fourth.

English and Brown each went 3-for-3 in the nightcap and Robert Williams (Fr., West Covina, Calif. / Northview) added two hits, including a double. The Scots had nine hits in each game and are batting .310 on the season.

Chen and Trevor McCalmont (Fy., Piedmont, Calif. ) split pitching duties and held Augsburg to just five hits, surviving eight walks. They benefited by three ground ball double plays as the Scots have a 2:1 advantage in double plays turned this season. They have turned 20 on grounders and have 23 total double plays.

The Scots play a single nine-inning non-conference home game tomorrow with North Central (Minn.) at 3:30 p.m. They return to MIAC action Saturday (April 11) at Concordia-Moorhead.