Box Score 1 | Box Score 2
Macalester ended a five-game skid when it toppled St. Mary's 9-3 in the opening game of an MIAC twinbill on Senior Day, getting home runs from Jimmy Belfont (Jr., Olney, Md. / Our Lady of Good Counsel) and CJ Smith (So., Ashland, Wis.) and another solid pitching performance from Nick Meerson (Sr., Los Angeles, Calif. / Harvard-Westlake).  The Scots, however, fell back to the .500 mark in league play when the Cardinals took the nightcap 5-1.

The Scots are now 18-17 overall and 8-8 in the season with a pair of road conference doubleheaders to go in the regular season.  St. Mary's is 17-8 overall, 6-8 in the MIAC.

Meerson improved to 8-2 on the year, striking out eight to match a season-high and scattering six hits to record his seventh complete game.  He has 38 strikeouts against only 10 walks in 59 2/3 innings.

The Scots had two doubles and a triple, in addition to their two homers.  They broke a 2-2 tie with three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and led the rest of the way, taking the lead for good on a two-run Graham Brown (Sr., Annandale, Minn.) single and RBI single by Ross Bronfenbrenner (So., San Anselmo, Calif. / Marin Academy).

Macalester put things away with four runs in the sixth.  Belfont got new life after a dropped foul ball and then delivered his second HR of the year.  After a Joe Famalette (Fy., Aliso Viejo, Calif. / Aliso Niguel) three-bagger, Smith's pinch-hit home run brought in the final two runs.

In the nightcap, two Macalester second inning errors helped the Cardinals take an early lead, and they never trailed.  St. Mary's left 10 runners stranded and Mac left nine runners on base.  Robert Williams (Sr., West Covina, Calif. / Northview) went 3-for-3 to boost his team-leading batting average to .421.

In the two games, eight batters reached base by getting hit by a pitch.  A sunny sky gave outfielders problems throughout the day and the teams were charged with eight errors.

The Scots went 8-2 on their home field this season and over the past two seasons are 20-6 at home.  In four years at Nicholson Field, Macalester is 35-13 for a remarkable .792 winning percentage.

The Scots are still alive for a top-four finish and a spot in the MIAC playoffs, but must string some wins together in their remaining games: Saturday (April 28) at Carleton and May 2 at St. John's. [ MIAC Standings ]