Macalester vs. Bethel box scores:
Game 1 |
Game 2
James Murrey (Jr., Western Springs, Ill. / Lyons Township) delivered a two-hit shutout in the opener, striking out 10 batters, and Macalester went on to sweep visiting Bethel 3-0 and 7-2 at Nicholson Field to close out the campaign at .500 both overall and in the MIAC. The Scots knock the Royals out of the playoff race and close out the season at 19-19 overall and 10-10 in the conference. Mac went 8-0 in conference play on its new field this year.
Murrey closed out one of the best season's ever produced by a Macalester pitcher with another dominant performance. The two-time All-MIAC pick and all-region selection a year ago, Murrey winds up the year with a 6-3 record and 1.95 ERA in nine starts, with 76 strikeouts against only 16 walks in 55 1/3 innings of mound duty. Opponents batted just .213 off him. In conference play, he posted a 0.81 ERA with 42 strikeouts against just four walks.
Murrey came within two strikeouts of the single-season school record and with 198 career K's, will enter his senior season just one short of Mac's all-time career mark.
The Scots had to work hard to win the first game, which was completed in just 1:40, scoring a single run in the fifth frame on a
Devin English (Jr., Bethesda, Md. / Annapolis) run-scoring double and then opening up some space in the sixth on a
Bobby De Meulenaere (So., Elk Grove Village, Ill. /Elk Grove) two-out, two-run pinch hit home run. His first collegiate four-bagger also scored
Garrett Salzman (Fy., Glendale, Calif. / St. Francis), who doubled after BU turned a double play.
Alex Ingram (So., Chicago, Ill. / Morgan Park Academy) wound up a strong sophomore season in the nightcap by following Murrey's gem with one of his own, holding the Royals to three hits and an earned run in 4 2/3 innings, while
Elliot Yodh (So., Merion, Pa. / Lower Merion) picked up his first win of the season with 2 1/3 innings of solid relief pitching.
Graham Brown (Fy., Annandale, Minn.) went 2-for-3 with three runs scored, and stole four bases from his leadoff spot. He wraps up the season with a .405 average.
After Bethel tied the game at 2-2 with a couple runs in the top of the fifth, the Scots finished off their sweep by crossing the plate three times in the top of the fifth and twice in the sixth.
Nate Wilson-Traisman (Jr., Eugene, Ore. / South Eugene) doubled in the two go-ahead runs with a double in the fifth and finished the game with three RBI to bring his season total to 44 in 38 games - just four short of the school record.
Wilson-Traisman at .425 and Brown at .405 at Macalester's first .400 batters since All-American Joel Brettingen hit .478 in 2002. Wilson-Traisman's 44 RBI's is the most at Mac since Brettingen drove in 44 in '02.
