In recent seasons, Macalester baseball has not been synonymous with explosive offensive play. This year, however, the Scots’ bats are on fire.

The Scots (15-8, 4-4 MIAC) split two doubleheaders against conference rivals this week, scoring 52 runs in four games.

After losing the opener to first place St. Olaf 5-2 on Saturday, the Scots crushed the Oles 20-3 in the second game, which was postponed to Sunday due to rain. The win dealt the Oles their first conference loss this season and their first loss at home in three seasons.

The Scots’ offensive explosion continued into their next game, a 26-8 rout of St. John’s in the first game of a doubleheader. In the nightcap, however, the reliable Macalester defense faltered for the first time this season, committing six errors in an 18-4 loss.

Macalester, which received votes in the latest ABCA national Division III poll and is currently ranked fifth in the Midwest region, currently has one of the hottest offenses in the nation. As of last Sunday, the Scots had the nation’s 13th-best batting average and 14th-best run scoring average, and these rankings are sure to rise when the NCAA releases its new statistical rankings this weekend.

The Scots struggled to get baserunners against Oles’ pitcher Charlie Ruud last Saturday in their 5-2 loss. Ruud sealed a complete-game win by striking out the side in the top of the seventh inning. Ruud surrendered only four hits and one walk while striking out five Scots.

Macalester’s offense was given a chance to regroup when the nightcap was postponed due to rain.

The Scots returned to Northfield the next day and avenged their loss in an assertive manner, crushing the Oles’ pitching for 20 runs. Macalester’s offense hit three home runs and smacked 19 hits against five Oles’ pitchers.

Lefthander Steve Derrington ’04 was just as dominant on the mound, scattering six hits and striking out five. In eight appearances this season, Derrington is 3-2 with a 2.54 ERA. The Scots picked up where they left off last Tuesday by crushing St. John’s 26-8 in the opener. Down 2-1 in the top of the second, the Scots retook the lead for good with a five-run inning, taking advantage of four Johnnies’ errors.

Macalester held a 7-5 lead into the fifth inning but broke the game wide open with a two-out rally. The Johnnies became very shaky in the field, and as do most great offenses, the Scots took full advantage of extra outs. Joel Brettingen ’04 singled with the bases loaded, scoring Damon Dahlheimer ’02 and Ty O’Connell ’02 to start the rally. The fortunate Scots received an extra out when a ground ball by Jesse Calm ’02 was misplayed by Johnnies third baseman Corey McKenzie, scoring Andy Odegaard ’02. Scott Bell ’03 walked, then Paul Odegaard ’04, who started the inning by striking out, followed with an infield single, scoring Brettingen.

On the next play, Josh Ortiz ’05 reached base on an error second baseman Matt Pilon, then went to second after catcher Dusty Upgren’s throwing error. The Johnnies once again paid a high price for not putting away the third out, as O’Connell tripled and drove in two more runs. Clark Boyesen ’03 then crushed a home run, scoring the 10th and 11th runs of the inning-and the rally continued.

Dahlheimer drew a walk on the next at bat and was subsequently driven home by an Andy Odegaard double. Brettingen and Calm added base hits to drive in two more runs before Bell struck out to end the inning.

When the dust had finally cleared after Macalester batted around twice, the Scots had collected a total of 14 runs and eight hits in one inning, and suddenly, the Johnnies found themselves staring at a 21-5 deficit.

The onslaught continued in the sixth inning as the Scots picked up five more runs-again all of them coming with two outs-on seven hits as they batted around again.

The Johnnies picked up three runs in the bottom half of the inning, but by then the game had long been over.

Righthander Marcus Turner ’03 pitched a complete game, giving up six earned runs on six hits and four walks while striking out six. The win brought Turner’s record to 3-1.

Dahlheimer, the team’s leadoff man, hit 5-for-5 and scored six runs. Brettingen hit 4-for-5, driving in five runs. Andy Odegaard went three-for-six, scoring four runs and driving in two, while O’Connell, batting eighth, went 2-for-4 with three runs scored and two RBIs.

The Johnnies committed eight errors in the opening game

In the nightcap, however, the tables were turned as it was Macalester that found itself on the wrong end of a lopsided score.

The Johnnies led 3-2 entering the bottom of the third but extended their lead with a five-run inning, highlighted by a three-run home run by Kyle Casey off of Bell. The Johnnies added one more run in the next inning but the Scots chipped the deficit to 9-4 when Brettingen hit a two-run home run in the top of the sixth.

The game got out of hand in the bottom of the fifth when the Johnnies scored seven runs. Pilon and Damon Laliberte both hit two-run homers to spark St. John’s, who cruised to an 18-4 win.

Matt Johnson pitched a complete game for the Johnnies, giving up only four hits and one walk.

Bell was chased in the fourth inning after giving up nine runs, but only three of them were earned.

The Scots played a doubleheader at Concordia-Moorhead last Wednesday night but the results were not in at press time.

Macalester continues its bid for a conference playoff bid with three more MIAC matchups this week. Tomorrow, the Scots travel a mile and a half down Summit Ave. to play a doubleheader against St. Thomas, the defending national champions, at 1 p.m. Macalester returns home on Monday to play Concordia-St. Paul at 3 p.m. The Scots will also host Carleton for a doubleheader on Thursday, with the first game starting at 2:30 p.m.

While the Scots have had excellent performances up and down their lineup, several players have reached the highest standards with their individual contributions. As of Sunday, Paul Odegaard’s batting average of .455 was good enough to place him in the top 50 nationally in Division III. His rank is likely to be surpassed by teammate Brettingen, who is currently hitting .473.

The accolades have not been limited to the offense, however. This week, Derrington was recognized as both the Macalester Athlete of the Week and awarded the MIAC Pitcher of the Week award. In wins against Augsburg-a complete game three-hit shutout-and St. Olaf, Derrington gave up just three runs on nine hits in 13 innings of work and struck out nine batters. Derrington is also hitting .308 this season.