ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester College baseball team earned a thrilling sweep of Saint Mary's University in a MIAC doubleheader, winning the first game with a walk-off single by junior infielder Holden Peacock (Houston, Texas/Kinkaid School) in extra innings, then scoring the game-winning run in the bottom of the sixth to win Game 2 Wednesday afternoon at Nicholson Field. The victories give the Scots a 20-10 record overall, including a 9-3 mark in conference play. The Cardinals drop to 18-11, 6-4 MIAC.

Macalester took control of the first game early, as first year outfielder John McMurray (Washington, D.C./Sidwell Friends) hit a two-run double that plated Peacock and senior outfielder Raymond McCaskey (Colorado Springs, Colo./Manitou Springs), then scored on a double by sophomore catcher Bobby Munoz (Santa Monica, Calif./Santa Monica) for a 3-0 lead. Senior infielder Nathan Gumagay (Potomac, Md./Winston Churchill) doubled home senior infielder Tristan Jones (Fairfield, Conn./Greens Farms Academy) to make the score 4-0.

Saint Mary's answered with three runs in the top of the third, only to have the Scots push three runs across in the bottom of the third for a 7-3 advantage. Munoz came home on a single by Jones, and Peacock delivered a two-run single to bring home Jones and senior infielder Josh Planko (Northville, Mich./Northville). Again the Cardinals came back with two runs in the top of the fourth, then tied the game in the top of the seventh with two runs that made the score 7-7. Macalester went down in order in the bottom of the seventh, sending the game to extra innings.

After a scoreless eighth, Saint Mary's put runners on first and second with one out on a single and a walk. But sophomore pitcher Elliott Rowley (South Pasadena, Calif./Polytechnic School) induced a ground ball that Peacock fielded, stepped on second and fired to first for an inning-ending double play. In the bottom of the ninth, senior Niko Alexander (Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman) led off with a double and moved to third on a groundout by Munoz. The Cardinals intentionally walked Plano and Jones to load the bases with one out. After Gumagay popped up, Peacock roped a single down the leftfield line to drive in Alexander for the game-winning run. The win followed up a walk-off victory over the University of Northwestern on Monday.

Peacock went 4-for-6 with a double, a run and three runs batted in. McMurray also had four hits, including two doubles and two RBIs, while Munoz, Jones and Gumagay each recorded two hits. Rowley pitched the final two innings, blanking the Cardinals on one hit, a walk and a strikeout to earn the win.

Momentum stayed with the Scots into the second game. In the bottom of the first, McMurray followed a walk by McCaskey and Peacock's fifth hit of the day with a three-run home run, his first of the season. Later in the first, Alexander came home on a sacrifice fly by Planko for a 4-0 lead. As they did in the first game, Saint Mary's fought back with four runs in the top of the second to tie the game at 4-4.

Then in the bottom of the third, Planko hit a two-out double to plate sophomore outfielder Tristan Lander (West Chester, Pa./B. Reed Henderson). It was Planko's 100th hit of his career. Planko then scored on a single by Jones for a 6-4 edge. The Cardinals quickly tied it up with two runs in the top of the fourth, erasing yet another Macalester lead. The game remained tied until the bottom of the sixth. With McCaskey on first and two out, McMurray singled to centerfield. McCaskey used his exceptional speed to race around the bases and score the go-ahead run from first on a single.  Senior pitcher Jamie Loizeaux (Albany, Calif./Albany), who pitched a scoreless inning of relief in Game 1, retired the Cardinals in order in the seventh for his third save of the season.

McMurray went 2-for-4 with a homer, a run and four RBIs in the Game 2 win. Junior pitcher Nick Strezo (San Mateo, Calif./Hillsdale) held Saint Mary's to two runs, one earned, on two hits while striking out three and walking one to improve to 3-2 on the season. The results put the Scots in second place in the MIAC standings, two games behind first-place Bethel and two games ahead of third-place Saint Mary's.

Macalester is scheduled to play a MIAC twin bill at Carleton on Saturday, April 18, beginning at 1:00 p.m. in Northfield, Minn.