ST. PAUL, Minn. – Eight runs in the top of the seventh inning lifted the Macalester College softball team to a 12-8 victory over St. Catherine University in Game 2 of a MIAC sweep Saturday afternoon at St. Kate's. The Scots, who won the first game, 4-2, improve to 9-13 overall, including a 3-3 mark in the conference. The Wildcats fall to 12-10, 5-3 MIAC.

The day started well for Macalester with three runs, all with two outs, in the top of the first inning of Game 1. Senior Mackenzie Clarke (Redwood City, Calif./Sequoia) doubled home junior Regan Brodine (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny), junior Jessica Katzin (Chicago, Ill./Jones College Prep) singled to score Clarke, and sophomore Mandy Morrical (Mount Vernon, Iowa/Mount Vernon) singled home Katzin. In the top of the fifth, sophomore Lauren Smith (Hermantown, Minn./Hermantown) doubled and came home on a single by first year Renee Nicholson (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) for a 4-0 advantage. St. Catherine scored a run in the fifth and another in the seventh, but first year pitcher Kaitlyn Pistorius (Parker, Colo./Legend) retired the final two batters to close out the win. Pistorius limited the Wildcats to two runs, one earned, on seven hits in a complete-game victory.

The Scots led first in the second game as well, scoring four runs in the top of the fourth inning. Clarke hit a two-run double and later scored on an error, while senior Emily Bergin (Houston, Texas/St. Thomas Episcopal School) drove in Morrical with a single. St. Kate's answered with three runs in the fourth and three more in the fifth to lead 6-4. Then in the bottom of the sixth, the Wildcats scored two more runs to expand their lead to 8-4 heading to the top of the seventh.

Despite the four-run deficit, the Scots stayed focused, loading the bases on a walk, a single by Nicholson and a hit batter. After a pitching change, first year Sophie Futchko (Prince Frederick, Md./Huntingtown) drew a walk to bring in a run. Clarke followed with a single that scored Brodine and Nicholson, then drew an errant throw to second that plated Futchko with the tying run. After a flyout, Morrical singled home Clarke for a 9-8 lead. With two out, sophomore Elsa Church (St. Louis, Mo./Kirkland) walked, Bergin singled and Smith hit a two-run double off the leftfield fence to put the Scots up 11-8. After another walk and a wild pitch that put runners on second and third, Brodine singled home Smith to make the score 12-8.

Pistorius allowed a two-out single in the bottom of the seventh, but Futchko ended the game with a diving catch in right field to complete the sweep. The wins end a 12-game losing streak to St. Catherine and mark the first sweep at St. Kate's since 2012.

Clarke went 4-for-4 with a double, two runs and four RBIs, while Brodine was 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI. Bergin added two hits. Pistorius earned the win after giving up six runs on 12 hits in six innings. Church pitched an inning of relief.

Macalester hosts Gustavus on Wednesday, April 13. The MIAC doubleheader begins at 4:30 p.m. at the Macalester Softball Complex.