For the second consecutive year, Calvin swept a conference doubleheader from rival Hope. The Knights took both ends of a doubleheader from the Flying Dutch Friday afternoon at the Gainey Athletic Complex, winning both games by a 1-0 score.

Calvin (15-17 overall, 2-8 MIAA) entered the doubleheader searching for its first conference victory while Hope (20-10 overall, 8-2 MIAA) entered the twinbill on top of the MIAA standings with an unbeaten conference record.

In game one, Calvin used a leadoff solo home run in the bottom of the first by sophomore Maddie DeGroot (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian HS) to take a 1-0 lead. The lone run held up as Calvin sophomore Anna Gernant (West Des Moines, Ia./Valley HS)  outdueled Hope junior Sydney Jones.

Gernant struck out 14 Hope batters, boosting her season total to 197.

Hope outhit Calvin 7-6 in game one but the Knights used clutch strikeouts by Gernant to keep the Flying Dutch off the scoreboard.
Hope's Noelle Jackson doubled in the top of the fifth but Gernant came up with an inning-ending strikeout.

In the sixth, Hope's Shay Pinhey reached base on a one-out triple down the left-field line. Hayley Reitsma followed with a single that spun just shy of the pitching circle but left Pinhey at third base with one out. Gernant followed with a strikeout and a groundout to quell the Hope scoring threat.

In the seventh, Hope's Sarah Jones singled with one out and later stole second and third but a strikeout and a groundout back to Gernant in the circle sealed the Calvin win.
Sophomore Casey Lawler (Novi, Mich./Novi HS) had two hits for Calvin. Sammi Adams and Pinhey had two hits apiece for Hope.

In game two, Calvin senior Paige Groom (Potterville, Mich./Potterville HS) spun a five-hit shutout as the Knights outhit the Flying Dutch 8-5.

Calvin scored its lone run in the fourth on an infield single by Rachel Borden (Edwardsburg, Mich./Edwardsburg HS)with the bases full that plated Gernant from third.

Groom stranded two Hope baserunners in scoring position in the third and kept the Flying Dutch at bay the rest of the game.

Borden went 3-for-3 for Calvin in the game two win while DeGroot also had a pair of hits.

Shelby Steele took the loss for Hope in the circle.

"Our pitchers definitely came to play today but our defense really laid out for them and made some game-saving plays," said Calvin softball coach Becky Hilgert. "Offensively we had some chances to put some more runs on the board but our pitching and defense really stepped up. I credit our full team for both victories. All 19 members of our team played a role in creating positive energy and momentum throughout the afternoon."

Calvin travels to Kalamazoo on Saturday for a doubleheader scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.