Macalester vs. St. Benedict box scores : Game 1 | Game 2

Behind by three runs going in the final inning of the nightcap, the Scots fought back in their attempt to gain a split, but fell a little short as visiting St. Benedict held on for a sweep over Macalester. Games scores were 8-1 and 6-5. The Scots came across the plate twice in the seventh frame – the first run coming on an Amanda Cagan (Sr., Saratoga, Calif. / Monta Vista) homer - to get to within a run, but left the tying run 60 feet away.

St. Benedict had things its own way in the opener, out-hitting the Scots 18-6. Mac's lone run came on an RBI double by Chloe Souza (So., Los Angeles, Calif. / Windward) in the second.

Game two was much more closely contested and started off with a bang, with St. Ben's scoring four times in the top of the first and Mac responding with three runs of its own in the bottom of the frame. Macalester scored its three runs on a leadoff double by Ali Nystrom (Sr., Minnetonka, Minn.), a Cagan RBI single, and a two-run Crystal Barriga (Sr., Broomfield, Colo. / Legacy) round-tripper, her fifth homer of the season and 16th of her career.

Mac starter Amanda Knopf (So., Boulder, Colo.) bounced back from her first inning, and surrendered just an earned run and an unearned run the rest of the way, as the Scots headed into the final frame within reach at 6-3.

In the bottom of the seventh, the Scots put a scare into CSB. Cagan's homer, just inside the left field foul pole, got things started. A Barriga single, fielder's choice out, Alison Phillips (Sr., Vernon Hills, Ill. / Adlai Stevenson) single, and a run-scoring ground out made the score 6-5. The Blazers, however, recorded the final out to hold on.

Barriga went 4-for-7 on the day to boost her team-leading batting average to .443.  Phillips is now batting .371.

The Scots host St. Catherine Saturday (April 24) at 3 p.m. on Senior Day as Mac honors eight soon-to-be Macalester graduates.