ARDEN HILLS, Minn. – The Macalester College softball team saw its exciting season come to an end with a 7-2 loss to No. 18 Bethel University in the first round of the MIAC Playoffs Thursday afternoon at Ona Orth Athletic Complex. The Scots, who qualified for the MIAC Playoffs for the first time in the program's history, end the season with a 25-16 record. The 25 wins are the second-most in a season all-time at Macalester. The third-seeded Royals improve to 29-8 and advance to Saturday's semifinal game against Saint Benedict. 

Bethel opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the first inning for a 1-0 lead. Macalester answered in the top of the second inning, with senior Mandy Morrical (Mount Vernon, Iowa/Mount Vernon) hitting a double, advancing to third on a sacrifice bunt by senior Elsa Church (St. Louis, Mo./Kirkwood) and scoring on a dropped third strike to tie the score at 1-1. In the bottom of the third inning, the Royals broke through with three runs to make the score 4-1. Cortney Hokanson hit a two-run double and Camryn Thurow drove in another run in the inning.

The Scots responded in the top of the fourth, with first year Elizabeth Welch (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North) and senior Emily Pedersen (Hutchinson, Minn./Hutchinson) leading off the inning with back-to-back singles. After both runners moved up a base on a fielder's choice, first year Callia Holland (Akron, Ohio/Hawken) plated Welch with a sacrifice fly to make the score 4-2.

First year Tess Bojorquez (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente), who came into the game in the third inning in relief of first year Rileigh Morlock (Lincoln, Ill./Normal Community West), allowed just a walk over the fourth and fifth innings to keep Macalester close. But in the bottom of the sixth, Bethel got to Bojorquez with back-to-back one-out singles and a three-run homer by Abby Otterness for a 7-2 advantage. Royals pitcher Kayla Simacek fanned the first two batters in the top of the seventh, but the Scots threatened when junior Renee Nicholson (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) singled and junior Sophie Futchko (Prince Frederick, Md./Huntingtown) was hit by a pitch. With runners on first and second, Simacek retired the next batter on a popup to end the game and give Bethel a 7-2 victory. The Royals will face No. 2-seed Saint Benedict on Saturday, May 11 in Winona, Minn.

The game also marked the final contest as a Scot for seniors Church, Morrical, Pedersen and Cheyenne Woerman (Oswego, Ill./Oswego). The foursome helped Macalester win 55 games over the past three seasons, the program's highest win total over a three-year period since 1995-97.

2024 MIAC Softball Playoffs
First round - Thursday, May 9, 2024
Game 1: No. 5 Gustavus 7, No. 4 St. Olaf 3
Game 2: No. 3 Bethel 7, No. 6 Macalester 2

Semifinals/Finals - Saturday, May 11, 2024 (at Saint Mary's, Winona, Minn.)
Game 3: No. 5 Gustavus at No. 1 Saint Mary's, 11:00 a.m.
Game 4: No. 3 Bethel vs. No. 2 Saint Benedict, 1:30 p.m.
Game 5: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4, 4:00 p.m.