ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester College baseball team defeated Northwestern (Minn.) on Wednesday in a non-conference matchup. The Scots' record is now 5-10, and 0-2 in MIAC conference games. Sophomore pitcher Josh Schmidt (Chicago, Ill./ Whitney M. Young Magnet) earned the win (1-1) in the game.
 
A leadoff walk and steal of second by sophomore Holden Peacock (Houston, Texas/Kincaid School) set the offensive tone for the Scots in the first inning. After moving to third on a wild pitch, Peacock was driven in by a sac fly from senior Jake Murakami (Chappaqua, N.Y./ Horace Greeley) to make the game 1-0. In the second inning, junior Niko Alexander (Bethesda, Md./ Walt Whitman) doubled down the left field line and was quickly driven in by another double from junior Tristan Jones (Fairfield, Conn./ Greens Farms Academy).
 
In the third inning, Macalester extended their lead to 3-0 on an RBI single by sophomore Isaiah Ramirez (Houston, Texas/ Northbrook), scoring junior Nathan Gumagay (Potomac, Md./ Winston Churchill). The runs kept scoring in the fourth inning, with Gumagay hitting a sac fly to drive in Evan Kang (Sherman Oaks, Calif./ Village Christian) and bring the score to 4-0.


The Scots starting pitcher, sophomore Nick Strezo (San Mateo, Calif./Hillsdale), pitched two innings, allowing only one hit and no runs. Schmidt took over in the third, pitching two hitless innings. Five more Scots pitchers took the mound for one inning each, only allowing one run total and striking out seven Eagles throughout the night. In four of their last five games, Macalester has limited their opponents to three runs or less.
 
The Scots put the game away in the seventh inning, starting off with another leadoff single from Peacock. After Gumagay walked, pinch-hitter Braden LaChapelle (Bethesda, Md./Walter Johnson) drove a double into left center field, scoring both runners and extending the lead to 6-1. LaChapelle scored on an Alexander RBI single, putting Macalester up 7-1. Gumagay then hit his second sac fly of the night in the eighth inning, driving home first year Tristan Lander (West Chester, Pa./ B. Reed Henderson) and finishing the 8-1 win.
 
The Scots are scheduled to play away at Augsburg University on Thursday, Apr. 3 in a doubleheader at Parade Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn.