CLERMONT, Fla. – The Macalester College softball team earned a pair of comeback victories on the third day of THE Spring Games on Tuesday at Hancock Park Ballfields. The Scots defeated Bates College, 7-6 and topped SUNY Cortland, 4-2 in eight innings to improve to 9-3 on the season and 5-1 in Florida.

In the early game against Bates, Macalester spotted the Bobcats two runs in the top of the first inning before answering in the bottom of the first. Senior Renee Nicholson (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove North) led off with a walk and classmate Sophie Futchko (Prince Frederick, Md./Huntingtown) doubled her home. Sophomore Alli Johnson (Waukee, Iowa/Northwest) plated Futchko and sophomore Elizabeth Welch (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North) with a double and later scored on a double steal with first year Safiya Butler (St. Louis, Mo./Whitfield School) for a 4-2 lead. In the bottom of the second, first year Allison Dvorak (Poulsbo, Wash./North Kitsap) scored on an error, and sophomore Tess Bojorquez (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente) hit a two-run single that brought home Nicholson and Futchko for a 7-2 advantage.

Bates responded with two runs in the third, including a solo home run from Ella Maher, and two more in the fifth to pull within one, 7-6. But Bojorquez entered the game in relief of starter Rileigh Morlock (Lincoln, Ill./Normal Community West) and retired all seven batters she faced to close out the win and earn the save. Morlock gave up six runs, four earned, in 4 2/3 innings to improve to 4-0 on the season. Futchko, Welch, Johnson and Butler each had two hits to power the offense.

Against Cortland, the game was scoreless until the Red Dragons scored twice in the bottom of the fourth inning. The Scots didn't get on the scoreboard until the top of the sixth. Macalester loaded the bases on a double by Bojorquez and a single by Johnson that was followed by Butler being hit by a pitch. Sophomore Callia Holland (Akron, Ohio/Hawken) drew a walk for the Scots' first run. With the bases still loaded, first year Ally Wolf (Valencia, Calif./Valencia) hit a grounder to the shortstop who was forced to get the out at third, allowing Bojorquez to score the tying run.

Neither team scored in the seventh, sending the game to extra innings. With Johnson placed on second base via the international tie-breaker rule, Butler singled and stole second to put runners on second and third. Holland followed with a single up the middle that brought home Johnson and Butler for a 4-2 lead. Bojorquez did the rest, striking out two batters and inducing a fly ball in the bottom of the eighth to end the game.

Bojorquez earned the victory with 4 2/3 innings of scoreless relief. She gave up two hits while striking out four and walking none to improve to 2-1 on the season. Sophomore Martha Miller (Medford, Wis./Medford) started and gave up two runs, one earned on two hits while walking three and fanning three in 3 1/3 innings of work. Holland went 2-for-3 with three RBIs at the plate, while Nicholson and Butler added two hits apiece.

Macalester has Wednesday off before taking on the University of Chicago and Blackburn College at 9:00 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. Eastern on Thursday, Mar. 20 at Hancock Park in Clermont, Fla.