Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Calvin softball team swept the Battle of the Beltline on Monday afternoon at Cornerstone. The Knights took game one 1-0 and rallied to defeat Cornerstone in game two 4-3. The pair of Calvin victories moves Calvin to 18-18 on the year. Calvin has now won five of its last six games.
"Anna and Paige pitched great today," said head coach Becky Hilgert. "Our defense was pretty solid throughout 14 innings. It was nice to get on the board early in both games. Scoring early is something we haven't done consistently enough and when we do, it just gives us a huge boost defensively."
Calvin struck early in game one. Sophomore Anna Gernant (West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley) scored junior Jessica Brasser (Rockford, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian) in the first inning.
The lone Cornerstone hit came in the first inning when Ali Ontiveros singled to right field.
That is all the offense Gernant would need.
Anna Gernant had a solid outing on Monday, holding Cornerstone scoreless on one hit. Gernant tallied 12 strikeouts in game one for her 13th victory of the year. She is now eight strikeouts shy of the Calvin single-season record of 227 strikeouts. Monday was the third-straight game and fourth all season that Gernant hasn't allowed a run.
Gernant was backed by solid defense that kept the Golden Eagles off the base paths, including a diving catch by freshman Bri Noorman (Jenison, Mich./Covenant Christian) in the seventh inning.
The Knights struck in the first inning again, in game two. Anna Gernant singled through the left side of the infield to score sophomore Maddie DeGroot (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian). Freshman Kayla Groen then singled to right field to score Jessica Brasser.
Cornerstone took the lead back in the second inning with three runs.
Sophomore Casey Lawler (Novi, Mich./Novi) tied the game in the third inning with a shot to third base that scored junior (Kaley Frank).
The Calvin defense kept the Knights in the game, getting out of a bases loaded jam twice in game two. The Calvin defense left eight Golden Eagles stranded in game two.
The tie was broken in the top of the seventh inning with two outs. Anna Gernant reached on a throwing error and Jessica Brasser scored from second base.
Senior Paige Groom (Potterville, Mich./Potterville) only allowed four hits after the second inning and recorded two strikeouts in her fifth victory of the season.
Calvin returns to action on Wednesday for the final road series of the year at Albion.
