It was ecstasy -- and then, alas, agony, for the Piper softball team in their MIAC opening doubleheader at Macalester Sunday afternoon. The ecstasy came in the opener as Alex Molloy threw a complete game five hitter and Megan Rubbelke's first inning home run stood tall in a 1-0 win. Molloy walked none and fanned one in throwing the shutout. Rubbelke had two of the Pipers' three hits.

The bats for both teams picked up in the second game -- most notably in the fourth inning. At that point, the game was scoreless when the Pipers loaded the bases with none out. Ramsey Hare's single to center field plated two runs. Later, Cora Stallcup's bunt single sent home a third run. The Scots, however, responded with a three spot in their own right to tie the game. It stayed that way until the last of the seventh when Mac pushed across a run to earn the split. Delaney Kohler's two hits paced the eight hit Piper offensive outburst. Kohler currently all Piper regular batters with a .375 average,. Rubbelke is next at .358. 

Hamline is now 8-10 overall. The Pipers have three MIAC twinbills on tap in the next seven days. HU plays at St. Catherine on Wednesday, April 3 in a 3:30 p.m. start. Hamline heads to Winona Saturday to face St. Mary's and then, if all goes well, will welcome St. Benedict to Meredith Field on Sunday, April 7. Both of the weekend doubleheaders are scheduled for 1:00 p.m. starts.