ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester College baseball team put on a clinic this afternoon, as the Scots played its home opener against Carleton. The Scots blew past the Knights 22-2 and 13-3 for two huge MIAC victories. Macalester is now 11-9 (3-3 MIAC).
 
To open game one, senior Joe Margolis (Chicago, Ill./Jones College Prep) hit a solo home run. Then with bases loaded, first year Niko Alexander (Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman) hit a double, scoring junior Matt Odom (Glendale, Calif./St. Francis) and sophomore Hayes Waddell (North Hampton, N.H./Winnacunnet). Senior Kenny Rodriguez (Bronx, N.Y./George School) also scored on the play. Junior Charlie Burton (Round Lake, Ill./Round Lake) hit an RBI single to plate Alexander. An RBI double by first year Nathan Gumagay (Potomac, Md./Winston Churchill) to bring in Burton sealed the scoring in the first inning, putting the Scots up six. The Knights were able to score two in the top of the second, but it was all Macalester from then on.
 
Macalester put up one more run in the second before having a huge third inning, scoring eight runs. Burton opened the third with a solo home run. Senior Anthony Palma (Mooresville, N.C./Lake Norman) singled to left center, scoring Margolis and Gumagay. Junior Matt Mukai (Foster City, Calif./Aragon) cracked a 2 RBI double to increase Macalester's lead to 12-2. Rodriguez hit an RBI double to plate Mukai and then Waddell and Rodriguez came home on the next play. Heading into the fourth Macalester led 15-2. First year Raymond McCaskey (Colorado Springs, Colo./Manitou Springs) was walked with bases loaded, registering an RBI and plating fellow first year Stephen Paulsen (Middleton, Wis./Middleton). Sophomore Jake Murakami (Chappaqua, N.Y./Horace Greeley) also scored in the fourth. In the fifth, senior Erik Hager (Lakeville, Minn./Lakeville South) smashed his first collegiate career home run, for three RBIs and a 20-2 lead. First year Josh Planko (Northville, Mich./Northville) blasted a 2 RBI home run in the sixth to finalize the Scots' scoring and seal a 22-2 victory. Senior Peter Aspholm (Winthrop, Wash./Liberty Bell) got the victory on the mound while first year Ben King (Chicago, Ill./Whitney M. Young Magnet) registered the save.
 
In game two, the Knights took a 2-0 lead at the top of the first. Macalester answered in the second half of the inning. Odom's 2 RBI single tied the game at two. The Scots then took the lead in the second. Margolis tripled, scoring Burton and sophomore Bowman Wingard (Palo Alto, Calif./Palo Alto). Margolis scored on the next play. Mukai hit an RBI single to score Palma. Odom also scored in the inning, bringing Macalester to a 7-2 lead. In the third, Palma hit an RBI single to bring home Gumagay. With bases loaded, Mukai was hit by a pitch, sending Margolis home. Rodriguez hit a sacrifice fly and Waddell hit an RBI double to close out the third, 11-2. Carleton were able to score a run in the fourth, but it wasn't enough. Another RBI double from Waddell in the fifth and a sacrifice fly from first year Tristan Jones (Fairfield, Conn./Greens Farms Academy) sealed a 13-3 victory in seven-innings. Sophomore Shun Mizuno (Irving, Texas/Ranchview) got the win on the mound.
 
Odom registered five hits, four runs, and two RBIs on the day. Palma and Margolis both scored three runs in game two and each tallied three hits on the day. Aspholm pitched four innings in game one, limiting the Knights to four hits and Mizuno pitched six innings in game two, only allowing seven hits.
 
Macalester's next doubleheader will be Friday April 14. The Scots host Saint Mary's for another MIAC doubleheader. Game one is set to begin at 2:30 p.m.