MANKATO, Minn. – The Macalester College softball team began the 2022 season on Saturday, beating Northland 11-3 and losing to Bethany Lutheran 13-2 at the Maverick All Sports Dome. Junior Regan Brodine (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) had five hits on the day to lead the Scots.

In the first game the Scots got off to a fast start against Northland with all 11 runs scored in the first two innings. Brodine singled home junior Joia Simonson (Pardeeville, Wis./Portage), then came home on a single by senior Mackenzie Clarke (Redwood City, Calif./Sequoia). A walk and a bunt single loaded the bases for sophomore Emily Pedersen (Hutchinson, Minn./Hutchinson), who cleared the bases with a triple to put Macalester on top, 6-0. Northland tallied three runs in the bottom of the first to cut the lead in half, 6-3. In the top of the second, Brodine plated Simonson with a double and later scored on a triple by junior Jessica Katzin (Chicago, Ill./Jones College Prep). After first year Renee Nicholson (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) singled home Katzin, Pederson blasted a two-run home run for an 11-3 Scots' lead.

Sophomore Elsa Church (St. Louis, Mo./Kirkwood) pitched the final three innings and blanked the Jills on one hit and a walk to earn the win.

Against Bethany Lutheran, the Vikings scored a run in the first, five in the third and seven in the fourth for a commanding 13-0 lead. Macalester got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the fourth with a solo home run by Katzin and an RBI single from senior Claire McHenry (Seattle, Wash./Seattle Academy) that plated Clarke.

Macalester heads to the Rochester Dome to face Cornell at 2:00 p.m. and Luther at 6:00 p.m. for a pair of non-conference games on Saturday, Feb. 26 in Rochester, Minn.