WINONA, Minn. – The Macalester College softball team traveled to the campus of Saint Mary's University to compete in a Sunday afternoon MIAC doubleheader. The Scots fell to the Cardinals in both games, dropping an 8-5 decision in game one and falling 1-0 in game two. Macalester is now 10-20 overall, 3-9 in conference play. With the sweep, Saint Mary's improves to 16-12, 5-7 in the MIAC.
Game One: SMU 8, Macalester 5
Both teams battled in the first three innings of play. Macalester scored one run in the top of the first inning and added two more in the second. The scoring effort was jump-started by back to back singles from
G.G. Gunther (San Francisco, Calif. / Lowell) and
Morghan Bean (Muscatine, Iowa / Muscatine).
Claire O'Connor (Piedmont, Calif. / Piedmont) continued her hot streak, driving in Gunther on an RBI single for the Scots' first run of the game.
Natalie Platt (Boulder, Colo. / Boulder) and
Abby Cox (Fort Worth, Texas / Country Day) produced RBI's in the second inning to take a 3-1 lead.
Saint Mary's put pressure on Macalester's defense in the second and fourth innings, taking an 8-3 lead after four innings of play. They forced the Scots into six defensive errors. Macalester made a late comeback effort in the fifth, but it wasn't enough. The Cardinals secured an 8-5 final victory, despite the Scots collecting 13 hits to SMU's eight.
Bean started in the circle, pitching six complete innings and allowing eight hits and four earned runs. Her record falls to 0-5 this year.
Bean led the way on the offensive end, going three for four at the plate. Cox, Gunther, and O'Connor each added two hits.
Game Two: SMU 1, Macalester 0
It was a pitcher's dual in game two as both teams remained scoreless through four complete innings. The Cardinals scored the lone run in the bottom half of the fifth inning on an RBI single.
Macalester collected just three hits in the game, the Cardinals finishing with six. First year
Sophie Migacz (McHenry, Ill. / McHenry West) started and threw the complete six innings. She allowed just six hits, no earned runs and struck out three in the loss. Her record is now 7-7 this season.
Macalester's hot hitters pulled through again in game two. It was Bean, Cox and Gunther who each recorded a hit in the game.
The Scots will return to action on Wednesday, Apr. 20 when they take on the University of St. Thomas. The doubleheader will start at 3:30 p.m. at UST.
