ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester College softball team split a MIAC doubleheader at Hamline Saturday afternoon, losing the first game, 4-1 before taking Game 2, 1-0. The Scots are now 7-13 in the conference and overall, while the Pipers are now 6-18, 3-15 MIAC.

In Game 1, Hamline scored a run in the bottom of the first inning, then added two in the third and another in the fifth to lead 4-0. Macalester had runners in scoring position in the second and fifth innings but could not score until the top of the sixth. Junior Mackenzie Clarke (Redwood City, Calif./Sequoia) laced a triple into left center and scored on a single by senior Kate Lawhead (Battle Ground, Wash./Prairie) to make the score 4-1. But the Scots went down in order in the top of the seventh to end the game.

Lawhead and senior Anya Lindell Paulson (St. Louis Park, Minn./St. Louis Park) each had two hits to lead the Macalester offense. First year Elsa Church (St. Louis, Mo./Kirkwood) came on in relief of starter Joia Simonson (Pardeeville, Wis./Portage) and held the Pipers to a run on two hits over four innings.

The second game was a pitcher's duel between Church and Hamline's Dana Rosbacka, as neither hurler allowed a run through five innings. Clarke led off the top of the sixth with a single, and first year Mandy Morrical (Mount Vernon, Iowa/Mount Vernon) came in to pinch run. Morrical moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by senior Kennedy Kechely (Rochester, Minn./Mayo) and advanced to third on a groundout. With two out, Lawhead delivered the key hit with a single that plated Morrical with the first run of the game.

Church retired the Pipers in order in the bottom of the sixth, leaving Hamline one inning to get a run across. After a leadoff walk and a popup, Kiana Island doubled to put runners at second and third with one out. The next batter, Cora Stallcup, hit a short fly ball that was caught by junior Anna Leidner (New York, N.Y./Bronx Science). The runner at third went halfway down the line on contact, and Leidner threw to first year Jessica Katzin (Chicago, Ill./Jones College Prep) at third to double up the runner and end the game.

Church had her best outing as a collegian, blanking the Pipers on five hits while walking one and striking out two for the complete-game shutout. Senior Audrey Meade (Cedar Hills, Utah/Pleasant Grove) had two hits for the Scots.

Macalester closes out the regular season with a doubleheader at St. Catherine on Tuesday, May 4, beginning at 3:30 p.m. in St. Paul. The Scots are still alive in the chase for a playoff spot, needing two wins against St. Catherine and two losses by Concordia at Augsburg on Tuesday to take sixth in the MIAC standings and qualify for the playoffs.