By Megan Walsh

After getting shut out for the first 11 innings of their MIAC season, the Scots pounded out seven runs in the fifth inning of their MIAC debut double header against the Hamline Pipers. Losing the first game 5-0, Macalester’s big rally gave them a 7-3 come from behind win in the second.

In the first game, the Scots had to readjust to life on the baseball diamond, as rain forced them to cancel their only game in late March. “It was our first game in two weeks and it took us a while to get going,” pitcher Ted Kimble ’07 said. The early game got off to a bad start in the first inning when Hamline’s Andrew Bennet hit a two run homer.

Kimble pitched a complete game for the Scots in the loss, striking out nine and walking one, but could not get any support from the team’s offense.

His counterpart from Hamline proved more than a match for Mac. “Hamline’s pitcher had the game of his life,” Ben Kleinman ’08 said. “All of his pitches were working. He was almost un-hittable.”

When the Scots managed to get runners on base, double plays crushed any scoring chance they had. Both teams exhibited strong pitching during the first game “Ted [Kimble] did a great job and kept us in the game,” Ben Kleinman ’08 said.

Mac continued its scoring struggles in the second game and appeared to be on its way to being shut out for the second time, until the fifth inning. Then the team made up for lost time and missed opportunities, racking up six hits and scoring seven runs. “The hitting was contagious,” Simkins said.

The exciting inning was highlighted by two-run singles by Andrew Percival ’06 and Simkins and a triple into the right field corner by Kier Palmer-Klein ’06 that drove in two more runs. In addition to strong hitting, Simkins pitched a complete game, striking out seven and allowing only three runs in the victory.

“In the second game we played solid defense,” Simkins said. “The whole infield played really well and made all the plays they needed to. They had to earn their runs.” The team also committed only one error in the day. “It was a satisfying win. It was good to split because Hamline is going to be a good team,” Simkins added.

The team is now 7-5-1 overall and 1-1 in the MIAC and are setting some lofty goals for this season. “We want to be in the top four teams of conference and be in the playoffs,” Kleinman said. The team plays their next game Saturday against Bethel at Macalester.