CLERMONT, Fla. – The Macalester College softball team earned two big wins on an exciting day of softball at THE Spring Games Thursday morning at Hancock Park. The Scots battled back with three runs in the bottom of the seventh for a walk-off win over Kalamazoo, then upset 14th-ranked UW-Whitewater, 6-4 in the second game. The victories give Macalester a 7-7 record overall and a 5-3 mark in Florida with one day to go.

In the day's first game, junior outfielder Callia Holland (Akron, Ohio/Hawken) came around to score from second on a single by sophomore outfielder Safiya Butler (St. Louis, Mo./Whitfield School) in the bottom of the second for a 1-0 lead. Kalamazoo (0-3) tied the score with a run in the top of the third, then Macalester regained the lead with a run in the bottom of the third on a single by junior infielder Rebecca Heinze (Rosemount, Minn./Prescott) that plated sophomore catcher Dylan Tapia (Tarzana, Calif./Notre Dame).

The Scots expanded their lead in the bottom of the fourth with a two-run single by sophomore infielder Ally Wolf (Valencia, Calif./Valencia) that brought home Butler and junior Martha Miller (Medford, Wis./Medford) for a 4-1 advantage. In the top of the fifth, Emma Newlove hit a three-run home run with two out to tie the score at 4-4. Also with two down in the top of the seventh, Grace Rocco delivered a 2-run homer that gave the Hornets their first lead of the game, 6-4.

In the bottom of the seventh, Macalester loaded the bases with a single by junior infielder Tess Bojorquez (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente) and walks by Heinze and Holland. With the Scots down to their last out, Miller roped a single into right-centerfield to bring home Bojorquez and junior Monica Montoya (Blue Island, Ill./Dwight D. Eisenhower) and tie the score at 6-6. With Holland on third, Butler laid down a perfect bunt that allowed Holland to score the game-winning run in walk-off fashion.

Miller was dominant in the circle, striking out a whopping 12 batters while limiting the Hornets to three runs, two earned, on four hits and a walk in six innings of work. Butler went 4-for-5 at the plate with a run and two runs batted in, while Tapia, Heinze and junior outfielder Alli Johnson (Waukee, Iowa/Northwest) each had two hits.

Against 14th-ranked UW-Whitewater (7-4), a fast start put Macalester in position for an upset. In the top of the first, Butler came home on a single by Tapia, and junior infielder Elizabeth Welch (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North) scored with Tapia in a rundown between first and second base for a 2-0 lead. Then in the second, Johnson doubled and scored on a single by Butler, and Tapia and Heinze drew bases-loaded walks to make the score 5-0 Scots.

The Warhawks cut into Macalester's advantage with three runs in the bottom of the fourth and another run in the bottom of the fifth to trail, 5-4. But Holland restored the two-run lead by leading off the top of the sixth with a home run to right-centerfield for her second homer of the season. Miller did the rest, retiring the side in order in the sixth and allowing a two-out single in the seventh before ending the game by inducing an infield pop-up.

Miller added another seven strikeouts against UW-Whitewater, giving her 19 Ks in 13 innings on Thursday. She gave up four runs, one earned, on seven hits and three walks to improve to 5-4 on the season. Johnson registered a double and a triple in the win, while Tapia also contributed two hits and drove in two runs.

Macalester concludes its Spring Break trip on Friday, March 20 with games against Wellesley at 9:00 a.m. Eastern and No. 12 Simpson at 11:15 a.m. Eastern at Legends Way Ballfields.