The race for the top spot in the Midwest Conference South Division got even more interesting Saturday when division-leading Monmouth split a twinbill at Grinnell by winning Game 1, 7-0, but dropping Game 2, 7-6 and Cornell took two from Illinois College to pull within a game of the Scots.
 
Monmouth can clinch the title Sunday with a sweep at home of Grinnell. Even a split would clinch should IC take at least one of Sunday's two games with Cornell.
 
The Scots opened the weekend with a seven-inning gem from Tyler McDonald who struck out seven, walked one and scattered five hits to move the Scots to the brink of clinching. While McDonald and relievers Ridge Greenman and Alex Sheetz were holding the Pioneers scoreless, leadoff man Jake Starkey supplied all the offense the Scots would need with a bases-clearing triple in the top of the fourth with two out. Andrew Hardy, Shamus Murphy and Cameron Kellar – the 7-8-9 hitters in the order – kept the inning alive and set the table for Starkey when they each collected a two-out hit. Mike Dato piled on with a three-run homer in the seventh as the Scots banged out 14 hits.
 
The Pioneers used a three-run inning in Game 2 to pick up the split and stay in the race two games back of Monmouth and one behind Cornell. Trailing 6-2 in the bottom of the sixth, Grinnell scored their first run on an error before slamming back-to-back two-out solo homers. Grinnell took the lead in the seventh with a pair of doubles and a base hit.
 
The teams meet Sunday for a noon doubleheader at Monmouth's Glasgow Field with the postseason in the balance for both teams.