ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester College softball team extended its winning streak to 11 games with a 7-4 win, then saw the streak end with a 9-5 defeat in a MIAC doubleheader against Bethel University Monday afternoon at the Macalester Softball Complex. The results give the Scots an overall record of 19-10 and a 10-1 mark in conference play, while the Royals are now 10-19, 5-7 MIAC.

In the first game, Macalester broke a scoreless tie in the bottom of the third inning. Sophomore outfielder Safiya Butler (St. Louis, Mo./Whitfield School) led off with a walk, stole second and came around to score on an error for the game's first run. Later in the third, sophomore catcher Dylan Tapia (Tarzana, Calif./Notre Dame) delivered a two-run double that plated sophomore infielder Ally Wolf (Valencia, Calif./Valencia) and junior infielder Elizabeth Welch (Carol Stream, Ill./Glenbard North) for a 3-0 lead.

Bethel tallied a run in the top of the fourth, then scored three runs in the top of the fifth to take over the lead, 4-3. The Scots answered immediately, pushing four runs across in the bottom of the fifth. Wolf and Welch came home on a throwing error, junior outfielder Callia Holland (Akron, Ohio/Hawken) singled to plate Tapia, and sophomore infielder Allison Dvorak (Poulsbo, Wash./North Kitsap) scored on a dropped third strike and throwing error for a 7-4 advantage. The Royals loaded the bases with two out in the sixth, but junior pitcher Martha Miller (Medford, Wis./Medford) induced a popup to end the threat. Miller then retired Bethel in order in the seventh to wrap up the win.

Miller allowed four runs on seven hits while striking out three without a walk in seven innings to improve to 11-6. Wolf and Holland each had two hits to spark the offense.

The Royals got off to a fast start in Game 2, scoring four runs in the top of the first inning on four hits, a walk and an error. Welch singled home Butler and later scored on an error in the bottom of the first to make the score 4-2 Bethel. Then in the third, Tapia hit a sacrifice fly to plate Miller and cut the deficit to one, 4-3. Bethel restored the two-run lead with a single run in the top of the fourth, then added a run in the fifth for a 6-3 edge.

In the bottom of the fifth, Wolf hit a sacrifice fly that brought in Butler, then Tapia singled home Miller to bring Macalester to within on, 6-5. Again Bethel answered with two runs in the top of the sixth, then added a run in the seventh for a 9-5 lead. The Scots loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh with one out on a pair of walks and a single. But a flyout and strikeout ended the threat and the game.

Butler and Miller each had two hits and scored two runs for Macalester. First year Ainsley Sullivan (Charlotte, N.C./Charlotte Latin School) pitched the final six innings, allowing five runs, three earned, on eight hits while fanning four and walking none.

The Scots travel to Northfield, Minn., on Tuesday, April 21 for a MIAC doubleheader with St. Olaf. The first game is set to start at 3:30 p.m.