CLERMONT, Fla. – The Macalester College softball team played 16 1/2 innings against three opponents at THE Spring Games on Tuesday at Legends Way Ballfields. The Scots lost to Keene St., 8-4 and Bowdoin, 9-5 in regular games, then played the final 2 1/2 innings of a suspended game against Eastern Connecticut State, falling 5-1 to drop to 4-7 on the season.

Against Keene St. (4-0), the Owls took the lead early with three runs in the bottom of the first inning. Macalester answered with two runs in the top of the third, when sophomore outfielder Safiya Butler (St. Louis, Mo./Whitfield School) scored on a grounder by junior infielder Elizabeth Welch (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North) and junior outfielder Callia Holland (Akron, Ohio/Hawken) singled home sophomore infielder Ally Wolf (Valencia, Calif./Valencia) to make the score 3-2. But Keene State tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the third and two more in the bottom of the fifth for an 8-2 lead. The Scots loaded the bases in the top of the sixth for senior Kara Jensen (Elmhurst, Ill./York), who brought home Holland with a grounder. Butler later singled to plate junior Tess Bojorquez (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente) to make the score 8-4. Macalester was unable to get any closer, as the Owls closed out the win.

Butler went 3-for-4 at the plate with a run and a run batted in, while Holland had two hits, a run and an RBI. First year pitcher Ainsley Sullivan (Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Latin School) gave up two runs on three hits in 3 2/3 innings of relief.

In the game with Bowdoin (10-1), Macalester spotted the Polar Bears a run in the top of the first before tallying three runs in the bottom of the first. Butler and Welch came around to score on a bunt by sophomore Dylan Tapia (Tarzana, Calif./Notre Dame), and Bojorquez drove in Tapia with a single for a 3-1 lead. After Bowdoin scored a run in the top of the second, junior Martha Miller (Medford, Wis./Medford) singled, moved to second on a single by Butler, advanced to third on a grounder from Welch and scored on a bunt by Wolf to put Macalester up, 4-2. From that point the offense stalled, and the Polar Bears took advantage with three runs in the fourth and four more in the sixth for a 9-4 advantage. After loading the bases but not scoring in the sixth, the Scots pushed a run across in the seventh with a single by Bojorquez that brought home Wolf to make the final score 9-5.

Macalester registered 13 hits in the game, with Butler, Wolf, Tapia, Bojorquez, Heinze and Miller recording two hits apiece. Miller went the distance, allowing nine runs, eight earned, on 11 hits while string out four and walking two in seven innings.

The Scots and Eastern Connecticut State played 4 1/2 innings on Monday before lightning halted play. The Warriors (4-0) scored a run in the first inning to lead 1-0. When the game resumed today, Bojorquez sent the first pitch over the centerfield fence to tie the score at 1-1. But that's all the offense Macalester could muster, as Eastern Connecticut scored a run in the fifth and three more in the sixth to lead 5-1. The Scots put a runner on third in each of the final three innings but could not capitalize.

Butler went 3-for-4 for the game, while Tapia and Bojorquez each added two hits. Miller pitched all seven innings, giving up five runs, three earned, while fanning five and walking three.

Macalester faces Worcester St. on Wednesday, March 18 at 10:30 a.m. Eastern at Legends Way Ballfields.