ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester College softball team extended its winning streak to six games with a pair of MIAC victories at Hamline University, 10-5 and 2-0 Tuesday afternoon at Helen Meredith Field. The wins give the Scots an 18-6 record overall, including a 5-1 mark in conference play. The Pipers drop to 10-10, 0-6 MIAC.

In the first game, Macalester took control early with six runs over the first three innings. First years Alli Johnson (Waukee, Iowa/Northwest) and Callia Holland (Akron, Ohio/Hawken) drove in runs in the first inning, first year Elizabeth Welch (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North) hit a two-run single in a three-run second inning, and senior Mandy Morrical (Mount Vernon, Iowa/Mount Vernon) came home on a grounder by senior Elsa Church (St. Louis, Mo./Kirkwood) in the third inning. After Hamline scored two runs in the bottom of the third, Welch, Holland and Morrical drove in runs in the top of the fourth for a 9-2 lead. The Pipers scored two runs in the sixth and another in the seventh, while Church came home on a grounder in the seventh to close out the scoring.

Welch finished the game going 4-for-4 with three runs batted in. Junior Sophie Futchko (Prince Frederick, Md./Huntingtown) had three hits and scored two runs, while Johnson, junior Renee Nicholson (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) and senior Emily Pedersen (Hutchinson, Minn./Hutchinson) each had two hits.

First year pitcher Rileigh Morlock (Lincoln, Ill./Normal Community West) held Hamline to two runs on three hits while walking three and striking out one in four innings to earn the win. First year Tess Bojorquez (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente) pitched the final three innings to earn the save.

After the teams combined for 25 hits and 15 runs in the first game, the pitchers took over in Game 2. First year Paige Schultz (Hamilton, N.J./Steinert), sophomore Kara Jensen (Elmhurst, Ill./York) and Morlock combined to blank the Pipers on four hits. The Scots generated all the offense they would need in the top of the first inning. With Johnson and Nicholson on second and third, Welch hit a single that scored Nicholson and an error on the play allowed Johnson to come home for a 2-0 lead. Macalester totaled five hits in the game, all of them singles, against Hamline pitcher Gracie Bond.

Schultz started and gave up three hits while walking three in 2 1/3 innings. Jensen pitched one inning and allowed a hit and two walks. Morlock earned the win, tossing 3 2/3 perfect innings with one strikeout.

Macalester is back in action on Friday, April 12 with a MIAC doubleheader at home against Carleton College. The first game starts at 4:30 p.m. at the Macalester Softball Complex.