TUCSON, Ariz. – A double by sophomore Nick McMullen (Payson, Ariz./Payson) plated the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th inning as the Macalester College baseball team beat Wesleyan University, 8-7 Wednesday afternoon at Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium. The Scots improve to 4-1 on the season, while the Cardinals drop to 6-3.

Macalester led for most of the game, scoring three times in the top of the third inning to take an early lead. Singles by sophomore Ben Castagnetti (Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman), senior Jonathan Melms (Wauwatosa, Wis./Wisconsin Lutheran) and sophomore Chance Carnahan (Shoreview, Minn./Mounds View) loaded the bases, then a pair of hit batsmen and a walk put the Scots ahead, 3-0.

After Wesleyan scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth, senior Sam Berk (Miami, Fla./Palmer Trinity School) singled home sophomore Collin Brantner (Farmington, Conn./Kingswood Oxford) in the top of the fifth for a 4-2 lead. Brantner plated Melms with a single in the sixth, then doubled home Carnahan and Castagnetti in the eighth as Macalester took a 7-3 lead into the ninth.

The Cardinals came back in their final at-bat, scoring four runs on five hits to tie the score at 7-7. Eric Jones, who hit an RBI double that scored the tying run, was stranded at second, as junior Brendan O'Connor (Piedmont, Calif./Piedmont) induced an infield popup to end the inning.

In the top of the 10th, Brantner hit a two-out double, setting the stage for McMullen. McMullen tagged a double over the centerfielder's head, driving in Brantner for what would be the game-winning run. Sophomore Joe Trier (Madison, Wis./West) pitched the bottom of the 10th, allowing a lead-off single but stranding the runner at third with three consecutive groundouts to end the game.

Trier notched his first save of the season, while O'Connor posted the win. Junior Anson Justi (Columbia, Md./McDonogh School) pitched 4 1/3 innings of relief, allowing an unearned run and five hits while walking two and striking out one.

Brantner ended up going 3-for-4 with two runs, two doubles a walk and four RBIs. Melms also had three hits while scoring twice, and McMullen finished with two hits and a walk.

Next up for Macalester in Tucson is a doubleheader with UW-Superior on Thursday, Mar. 17. The first game starts at 10:00 a.m. at the Kino Sports Complex.