COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – The Macalester College baseball team played its third MIAC doubleheader in as many games and came away with its third split of the weekend at Saint John's University's Becker Park. The Scots defeated Bethel University in Game 1, 6-2 behind the pitching of sophomore Jacob Simpson (Brooklyn, N.Y./Berkeley Carroll School), before losing the second game, 9-0. Macalester is now 15-10 overall and 5-3 in conference play, while the Royals are now 18-6, 5-3 MIAC.

In the first game, the Scots took a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly from junior Sam Goldberg (North Potomac, Md./Thomas S. Wootton) that plated senior Collin Brantner (Farmington, Conn./Kingswood Oxford) in the top of the second inning. Bethel pulled even with a run in the bottom of the second, but senior Alex Baretta (Pittsburgh, Pa./Central Catholic) hit a two-run homer to right centerfield to put Macalester ahead, 3-1. It was Baretta's second home run of the season. In the bottom of the fifth, the Royals scored an unearned run to make it a one-run game. Again the Scots responded in the next inning, as senior Ben Castagnetti (Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman) delivered a two-run single and Goldberg blasted a solo home run, his second of the year, for a 6-2 advantage.

Simpson did the rest, limiting Bethel to two runs, one earned, on two hits while fanning four and walking three in a complete-game, seven-inning effort. The performance marked Simpson's first victory as a Scot. Castagnetti went 3-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs.

It was the Royals who got off to a fast start in Game 2 with nine runs over the first three innings. Bethel pitcher Sam Riola shut out Macalester on two hits, as the Royals earned the split. Goldberg and junior Graham Low (Piedmont, Calif./Piedmont) recorded hits for the Scots, while sophomore pitcher Ethan Moskal (Chicago, Ill./Northside College Prep) pitched three scoreless innings of relief.

Macalester plays Saint Mary's University in a MIAC doubleheader on Wednesday, Apr. 25. The times and location have yet to be announced. Visit http://athletics.macalester.edu for updates to the schedule.