CLERMONT, Fla. – The Macalester College softball team began its spring trip to Florida with the first two of 10 games at THE Spring Games Sunday at Legends Way Ballfields. The Scots (5-3) defeated Smith College, 1-0 before losing to Amherst College, 10-1.

Against Smith, sophomore Rileigh Morlock (Lincoln, Ill./Normal Community West) pitched a gem, allowing just three hits and no runs over seven innings. Macalester managed just four hits in the game but mustered up a run in the bottom of the fourth inning. With two outs and the bases clear, first year Safiya Butler (St. Louis, Mo./Whitfield School) reached on an error to extend the inning. Senior Sophie Futchko (Prince Frederick, Md./Huntingtown) followed with a single to center, and sophomore Elizabeth Welch (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North) walked to load the bases. With sophomore Tess Bojorquez (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente) at the plate, a wild pitch allowed Butler to score from third with the game's only run.

Morlock struck out seven and walked one in the three-hit shutout, her first shutout of the season. Senior Renee Nicholson (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North) went 2-for-3 at the plate, with Futchko and first year Allison Dvorak (Poulsbo, Wash./North Kitsap) registering the other hits for the Scots.

In the game against Amherst, Macalester put runners on first and second for sophomore Callia Holland (Akron, Ohio/Hawken), who singled home Futchko for a 1-0 lead. The advantage didn't last long, as the Mammoths tallied four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Amherst tacked on five more runs in the second and another in the third while keeping the Scots off the scoreboard the rest of the way to earn the win. Dvorak led the offense with a pair of hits to complete a 3-for-5 day at the plate. Sophomore Martha Miller (Medford, Wis./Medford) held the Mammoths to a run on one hit while striking out three in two innings of relief.

Macalester continues play at THE Spring Games with games against Wellesley College and Edgewood College on Monday, Mar. 17 at Legends Way.