CLERMONT, Fla. – On its final game day in Florida, the Macalester College softball team defeated Wellesley, 9-1 in six innings, then narrowly missed upsetting a nationally-ranked team for the second straight day, losing 7-6 to No. 12 Simpson in eight innings Friday afternoon at Legends Way Ballfields. The Scots, who beat No. 14 UW-Whitewater yesterday, head north with a 6-4 record at THE Spring Games and an overall record of 8-8.

Against Wellesley (4-2), Macalester answered a run by the Blue in the top of the third with four runs in the bottom of the third. Junior outfielder Alli Johnson (Waukee, Iowa/Northwest) scored on a wild pitch, sophomore outfielder Safiya Butler (St. Louis, Mo./Whitfield School) came home on a grounder by junior infielder Elizabeth Welch (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North), junior infielder Rebecca Heinze (Rosemount, Minn./Prescott) doubled home Welch and sophomore catcher Dylan Tapia (Tarzana, Calif./Notre Dame) scored on a single by junior infielder Tess Bojorquez (San Clemente, Calif./San Clemente).

Then in the fourth, the Scots loaded the bases for sophomore infielder Ally Wolf (Valencia, Calif./Valencia), who cleared the bases with a three-run double for a 7-1 advantage. After loading the bases again in the sixth but not scoring, Macalester came through in the sixth. Johnson doubled with Bojorquez on base to put runners at second and third for junior Martha Miller (Medford, Wis./Medford), who laced a double into left-centerfield to plate Johnson and Bojorquez and end the game, 9-1.

Welch, Heinze, Johnson and Miller recorded two hits apiece to spark the offense. Miller started in the circle and limited Wellesley to one unearned run on two hits while striking out seven and walking one in four innings. Bojorquez finished up with two scoreless innings and three strikeouts.

In the day's second game, Simpson (13-2) struck first with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Macalester responded with a two-run double by Wolf that plated Johnson and Butler in the top of the third. After the Storm tied the score with a run in the bottom of the third, the Scots regained the lead in the fifth. Miller led off with a double, then scored when Simpson committed an error fielding a Butler bunt. Later in the inning, Wolf doubled home Butler, moved to third on a groundout and came home on a single by Heinze for a 5-2 edge. Heinze beat out the throw from second base by diving to reach first. Junior outfielder Callia Holland (Akron, Ohio/Hawken) hit Macalester's third double of the fifth inning to bring home Heinze to put the Scots up 6-2.

The Storm pulled to within one with three runs in the sixth, including a solo home run from Addison Gookin. Then in the seventh, Katie Shaner led off the inning with a homer to tie the score at 6-6. In the top of the eighth, Holland was placed on second base per the international tiebreaker rule, but Macalester failed to bring her home. In the bottom of the eighth, Simpson bunted the runner to second, then Ashlyn Steen ended the game with a single.

Bojorquez went 3-for-4 at the plate, while Wolf drove in three tuns on two doubles. Heinze also had a pair of hits. Miller went the distance, allowing seven runs, five earned, on 12 hits while striking out four and walking three in 7 1/3 innings.

Macalester plays a non-conference doubleheader on Saturday, March 28 at UW-River Falls. The first pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.