NOTRE DAME, In - The Calvin softball team split a conference doubleheader at Saint Mary's on Wednesday, winning the opener 8-6 in come-from-behind fashion before falling 5-4 in game two as the Belles used a come-from-behind effort of their own.

Game one featured back-and-forth action as Calvin grabbed an early 2-0 lead with Saint Mary's jumping back in front 4-2 with a run in the first, three in the second and one more in the fourth.

Trailing 5-2, Calvin (18-8 overall, 6-2 MIAA) picked up two runs in the fourth as sophomore Ashley Riemersma (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS) led off with her second home run of the spring and sophomore Lydia Gildea (Gobles/Gobles HS) drove in another with a sacrifice fly.

The Belles scored a run in the bottom of the fourth to take a 6-4 lead but in the top of the sixth, Gildea blasted a three-run homer to put the Knights on top 7-6. Calvin added an insurance run in the top of the seventh as senior Ashley Jakus (Muskegon/Muskegon Reeths-Puffer) delivered an RBI single.

Senior Caitlin Callow (Muskegon/Muskegon Catholic Central HS) then pitched a scoreless seventh to nail down the win.

Junior Merin Cok (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS) went 3-for-4 in the win as did senior Janelle Agren (Cadillac/Cadillac HS). Two of Agren's hits were doubles.

In game two, Gildea ripped a two-run homer in the first inning  for her sixth round-tripper of the spring.

Calvin trailed 3-2 when it scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the fourth, using a pair of errors by Saint Mary's and a sacrifice bunt by junior Kelsey Pollock (Greenville/Belding HS) to take a 4-3 lead.

The Belles (11-11 overall, 3-5 MIAA)) regained the lead in the top of the fifth, striking for a two-out, two-run RBI single that put Saint Mary's up 5-4.

Calvin placed two runners aboard in the sixth but could not score and then went down in order in the seventh.

Callow took the loss for Calvin to fall to 11-4 on the year. Jakus, Riemersma and senior Lina Avila (Lakewood, CA/Valley Christian HS) all had two hits apiece for Calvin in defeat.

Calvin will now prepare to host nationally-ranked and league-leading Trine on Saturday in a conference twinbill at Calvin's Gainey Field. The Thunder are ranked fifth nationally and have won 40 consecutive conference games.