CLERMONT, Fla. – The Calvin bats were blazing in the Florida sun on Monday with the Knights finishing with a combined 27 hits on the day. Calvin started the day defeating Fitchburg State, 8-0 in six innings and capped the day downing Westfield State, 12-7. The pair of wins improves Calvin to 2-2 on the year.

"It feels good to win these two games today," said head coach Tim Syrek. "After dropping two close games on Saturday, we improved a lot in many areas."

The Knights started the day with an 8-0 victory over Fitchburg State. Calvin had 11 hits on Monday morning, compared to one by Fitchburg State.

With the bases loaded, the Falcons' Kaylee Sylvestre walked in senior Ashley Riemersma to give the Knights a 1-0 lead in the second inning.

The Knights broke the game open in the fourth inning with four runs. Freshman Maddie DeGroot sent home sophomore Kimiko Hinatsu and Ashley Riemersma. During the next at bat, freshman Rachel Borden was able to get DeGroot across home plate. Sophomore Jessica Brasser would double to left-center to score Brasser.

The sixth inning saw the Knights force the mercy rule with three more runs. Brasser safely crossed Maddie DeGroot across home with an infield single. Rachel Borden would score on an error and Jessica Brasser scored on a wild pitch.

The Falcons were not able to get anything going with freshman Anna Gernant in the circle. Gernant held Fitchburg State to only one hit on Monday morning. She tallied 10 strikeouts in the victory.

Ashley Riemersma led all hitters with three hits against the Falcons.

The Knights continued the hitting success against the Owls of Westfield State with 16 hits in the 12-7 victory. Maroon and Gold would score at least one run in the first five innings. Calvin also capitalized on six Westfield State errors on Monday.

Jessica Brasser started the scoring spree in the first inning with a shot to right center, sending in Rachel Borden and Maddie DeGroot.

Freshman Kristen Newman was the first to cross home plate in the second inning, off of a fielder's choice from Rachel Borden. Jessica Brasser scored Kimiko Hinatsu and senior Lydia Gildea singled in junior Caitlin Bell.

In the third inning, Maddie DeGroot doubled in Bell and Hinatsu. She also belted her first homerun at Calvin in the bottom of the fifth inning. DeGroot finished with a game-high three RBI.

The fourth inning saw sophomore Kaley Frank score Brasser and freshman Abby Colon double in Newman and Frank.

Lydia Gildea sent in Calvin's final run in the fifth inning with a sacrifice fly to right field. Advancing Rachel Borden across the plate.

Junior Paige Groom and sophomore Makela Chapman kept the Owls in-check on Monday and made sure that Westfield State never took control of the lead. The Calvin duo recorded five strikeouts combined.

Jessica Brasser and Kristen Newman both finished with three hits. Five Knights tallied two runs in the victory.

"From here on out we just need to be consistent," said Syrek. "We have talent and we are excited to continually get better."

Calvin returns to action on Tuesday when the Knights face Ripon and Macalester in Florida.