ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester baseball team played its home opener today against Saint Mary's. The Scots battled with the Cardinals but fell just short, 9-8, in game one. However, in game two, Macalester came out strong and took the game 14-4 in eight innings. The Scots are now 5-14 (1-3 MIAC), while the Cardinals are now 12-8 (5-1 MIAC).
 
The Cardinals found themselves with a quick 1-0 lead to start the game. Senior Matt Odom (Glendale, Calif./St. Francis) instantly responded in the bottom of the inning with a solo home run to tie the game. In the second, the Cardinals put up four runs to take a 5-1 lead. The Scots once again answered the Cardinals. After senior Matt Mukai (Foster City, Calif./Aragon) reached on a fielder's choice and sophomore Josh Planko (Northville, Mich./Northville) doubled, fellow sophomore Evan Kang (Sherman Oaks, Calif./Village Christian) hit a two RBI double to bring them in. Sophomore Nathan Gumagay (Potomac, Md./Winston Churchill) got on base and then junior Hayes Waddell (North Hampton, N.H./Winnacunnet) hit an RBI single to bring in Kang. After Odom got hit by a pitch, bases were loaded for junior Bowman Wingard (Palo Alto, Calif./Palo Alto). Wingard smashed an RBI single to bring in Gumagay and tie the game at 5-5. Saint Mary's was able to take a 9-5 lead scoring more runs in the fourth and fifth innings. The Scots fought back in the sixth, plating three. Odom hit a two RBI double to score sophomore Tristan Jones (Fairfield, Conn./Greens Farms Academy) and first year Holden Peacock (Houston, Texas/Kinkaid School) and Wingard brought home Waddell. However, Macalester's comeback was cut short and the Scots fell 9-8.
 
In game two, the Scots took an early 1-0 lead in the first with Mukai plating Waddell with an RBI single. The next inning, the Scots quadrupled their lead. Jones cracked a two RBI double to score Gumagay and Planko. Then with bases loaded, Wingard was hit by a pitch and Peacock came home to make 4-0. The Cardinals were able to grab one run in the top of the third inning, but the Scots extended their lead in the bottom half of the inning. Jones once again brought home Gumagay and Planko, this time with a single to the outfield. Odom then smashed a two RBI double to center field, plating Waddell and sophomore Raymond McCaskey (Colorado Springs, Colo./Manitou Springs). Planko then came up to bat for the second time in the inning and plated Odom, increasing the lead to 9-1. In the top of the seventh, Saint Mary's gained three runs to make it 9-4. However, the Scots stopped the Cardinals there. Planko doubled to the outfield to bring home sophomore Stephen Paulsen (Middleton, Wis./Middleton). Peacock brought home Planko and Jones doubled to bring in Gumagay and junior Jake Murakami (Chappaqua, N.Y./Horace Greeley). First year Braden LaChapelle (Bethesda, Md./Walter Johnson), pinch hit and plated the final run with an RBI single. Macalester took the game 14-4. Junior Ben Levinson (Piedmont, Calif./Piedmont) got the win, facing 27 batters in five innings, only allowing one run and striking out 11. Fellow junior Izzy Flood (Evanston, Ill./Evanston Township) secured the save. Planko went 4-for-5 with three runs and two RBI's while Jones went 3-for-6 with six RBI's.
 
Macalester's next doubleheader will be Monday April 8. The Scots host Bethel at Nicholson Field. First pitch is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.