LEESBURG, Fla. – The Macalester College softball team improved at the plate but came up short in two games at THE Spring Games Monday afternoon at Sleepy Hollow Softball Complex. The Scots (2-8) lost to Coe College, 3-1 and to Springfield College, 9-3 despite registering 12 hits on the day.

Against Coe, the Kohawks scored two runs in the first inning and another in the fourth to lead 3-0. Macalester put runners on base in five of the first six innings but didn't break through until the seventh. Sophomore Mandy Morrical (Mount Vernon, Iowa/Mount Vernon) led off the seventh with a single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by junior Jessica Katzin (Chicago, Ill./Jones College Prep). After a popup, first year Renee Nicholson (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) hit an infield single and went to second on an error, putting runners on second and third with two out. Junior Regan Brodine (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) followed with a liner up the middle that plated Morrical to make the score 3-1. Sophomore Ada Bruno (Cranston, R.I./Wheeler School) pinch ran and stole second to put the tying run in scoring position. But a flyout ended the comeback and the game.

Morrical and Nicholson each had two hits, as the Scots totaled seven hits for the game. First year pitcher Kaitlyn Pistorius (Parker, Colo./Legend) held Coe to three runs on two hits while striking out five and walking four in four innings. Sophomore Elsa Church (St. Louis, Mo./Kirkwood) pitched two scoreless innings of relief without allowing a hit.

In the second game, Macalester got off to a fast start with three runs in the top of the first inning. Junior Joia Simonson (Pardeeville, Wis./Portage) doubled and came home on a single by senior Mackenzie Clarke (Redwood City, Calif./Sequoia). Sophomore Lauren Smith (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown) and Katzin each had run-scoring hits, with Smith hitting a single to plate Morrical and Katzin doubling home first year Sophie Futchko (Prince Frederick, Md./Huntingtown) for a 3-0 lead. But the Scots managed just one hit, a double by Brodine in the fifth, the rest of the way, as Springfield scored runs in each of the last five innings, including a four-run fourth.

Simonson allowed five runs on seven hits over 3 1/3 innings to take the loss.

Macalester will play Minn. Morris and UW-Stout on Tuesday, Mar. 15 at Hancock Recreation Complex, with the first game starting at 10:15 a.m. Eastern in Clermont, Fla.