CLERMONT, FL - The Calvin softball team opened up its season with a pair of victories on Monday, defeating Elmhurst College 8-0 in mercy-rule fashion and then defeating Wisconsin-Oshkosh 5-3 in a late-inning comeback effort.

In the win against Elmhurst (3-4), senior Lina Avila (Lakewood, CA/Valley Christian HS) blasted a pair of home runs - a two-run shot in the first and a three-run blast in the fourth that enabled the Knights to bolt out to an 8-0 lead.

Junior Christie VanderMeer (Grandville/Grandville HS) along with senior Janelle Agren (Cadillac/Cadillac HS), Avila and sophomore Ashley Riemersma (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS) all had two hits apiece in the win.

Freshman Cassidy Vlot (Chowchilla, CA/Chowchilla HS) tossed the shutout in the pitcher's circle to improve her season record to 1-1.

With her pair of home runs, Avila boosted her career total to 27 which stands atop the Calvin career list.

Calvin then defeated a Wisconsin-Oshkosh team that had finished 26-11 a year ago. Calvin grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first as VanderMeer led off with a single and later scored on a double by Vlot.

Calvin regained the lead at 2-1 in the third on an RBI single by Vlot that plated freshman Kendal Bayer (Howell/Howell HS) who led off the inning with a walk.

Wisconsin-Oshkosh (5-3) came back with two unearned runs in the top of the fifth to take a 3-2 lead but Calvin responded in the sixth with three runs of its own.

The rally in the sixth began with a leadoff solo home run by Riemersma that tied the score 3-3. Junior Merin Cok (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS) and Bayer later reached base with singles. VanderMeer then hit into a fielder's choice but promptly stole second to place two runners in scoring position.

Pollock then came through with the clutch hit of the game, rifling a single to right-center that brough home Cok and VanderMeer with the go-ahead runs. 

Senior Caitlin Callow (Rochester/Muskegon Catholic Central HS) then retired the Titans in order in the seventh to up her season record to 2-0.

Calvin returns to action on Tuesday when it faces Colby College at 9 a.m. and the University of Chicago at 11 a.m.