ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester College softball team beat Gustavus Adolphus in both games of a MIAC doubleheader Wednesday night at the Macalester Softball Complex. The Scots are now 21-9, 8-4 in the conference. The Gusties are now 17-13, 7-5 MIAC.

In the first game, Gustavus put three runs on the board in the top of the first inning on two hits, a walk, and a hit batter for an early 3-0 lead. In the bottom of the inning, senior Sophie Futchko (Prince Frederick, Md./Huntingtown) hit a one-out single, stole second, and scored on a single by first year Ally Wolf (Valencia, Calif./Valencia) to make the score 3-1. Then in the second, Macalester erased its slow start with four runs on six hits and an error to lead 5-3. First year Safiya Butler (St. Louis, Mo./Whitfield School) hit a double to score sophomore Tess Bojorquez (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente), who led off with a double, while first year Dylan Tapia (Tarzana, Calif./Notre Dame) and sophomore Elizabeth Welch (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North) each hit RBI singles in the inning.

In the bottom of the fourth, senior Renee Nicholson (Downers Grove, Ill./Downers Grove South) drew a leadoff walk, stole second, advanced to third on an error, and scored on a wild pitch to put Macalester on top, 6-3. Tapia notched her second RBI single in the bottom of the fifth to score Butler, and Welch laced a bases-loaded, two-out single that plated Nicholson and sophomore Alli Johnson (Waukee, Iowa/Northwest) for a 9-3 advantage. Butler went 3-for-4 with a double, two runs and an RBI, while Nicholson, Welch, Bojorquez and Tapia each registered two hits.

Miller settled in after a tough first inning, limiting the Gusties to no runs on three hits over the next five innings to improve to 9-3. Sophomore Paige Schultz (Hamilton, N.J./Steinert) pitched a perfect seventh inning to wrap up the 9-3 win.

In Game 2, it was Macalester's turn to get off to a fast start with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Futchko singled home Nicholson and Butler hit a two-run single with the bases loaded to plate Futchko and Welch for a 3-0 lead. That cushion was all Bojorquez, the game's starting pitcher, needed as she threw a dominant complete game shutout. Bojorquez only allowed four hits and two walks, while striking out two and generating a lot of weak contact.

The Scots added one more run in the game in the fourth inning, starting with a leadoff walk from Tapia. Dvorak entered as a pinch runner and advanced to second on a Nicholson infield single before coming around to score on a Futchko RBI single. The game would end 4-0, with Gustavus not registering any baserunners after the third inning. Futchko and Butler both recorded two hits and two RBI to lead the team.

After picking up two pivotal MIAC wins, the Scots will travel the short distance on Saturday to St. Catherine University to take on the Wildcats in a doubleheader.