GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Calvin opened a four-game conference series with Trine by taking both ends of a doubleheader Thursday afternoon at Calvin Field.

 

The Knights (6-10 overall, 4-2 MIAA) took the opener 5-1 and used a come-from-behind effort to take game two 9-5.

 

In the opener, Calvin rode the right arm of junior Jonathan Keane (Brookfield, Mich./Brookfield Central HS) who tossed a complete-game victory. Keane went seven innings, striking out five and walking only five.

 

Keane scattered seven Trine hits and was aided by the Calvin defense that turned a pair of inning-ending double-plays and also threw out a Thunder baserunner out the at plate.

 

At the plate, Calvin collected only five hits but reaped the benefits of four Trine errors. Calvin scored three runs in the third and added two insurance runs in the sixth.

 

Freshman Ricky Padilla (Poway, Ca./Poway HS) drove in one run with an RBI double in the third and Keane helped his own cause by sending a single up the middle that scored two. All three Calvin runs were unearned.

 

In the sixth, junior Miles Kuperus (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian HS) came up with a clutch two-run RBI single that plated Keane and junior Beau Redfield (Cedar Springs, Mich./Northpointe Christian HS) who had both reached base on errors.

 

Trine (7-9 overall, 1-5 MIAA) loaded the bases in the top of the seventh but Keane got out of the jam with a game-ending groundout.

In game two, Calvin fell behind 5-0 after the Thunder used three hits and three Calvin errors in the top of the third to build a healthy cushion. The Knights responded with a three-run third in the bottom half with Padilla belting an RBI single, Keane driving in a run on a groundout and Kuperus driving in a run on a Trine infield error.

 

Calvin added a run in the fifth on an RBI single by Kuperus and then scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 6-5 lead. Sophomore Quinn Hyndiuk (Elm Grove, Wisc./Brookfield East HS) led off the inning with a double to right and scored on a fielder's choice by Redfield. Kuperus came up clutch yet again with an RBI single through the left side.

 

Hyndiuk added an RBI single in the seventh and Padilla later followed with an RBI single of his own. 

 

Calvin's final run came in the eighth as the Knights scored on a Trine error.

 

Trine placed two runners on in the ninth but junior Logan Walker (Imlay City, Mich./Lapeer East HS) slammed the door shut with a groundout to second.

 

Junior Clay Francisco (Delton, Mich./Thornapple Kellogg HS) went 6.2 gritty innings to pick up his second victory of the season. Francisco struck out seven and walked three. Walker was credited with the save - his second of the season.

 

Calvin amassed 15 hits led by senior Nate DeZwaan (Hamilton, Mich./Holland Christian HS) who was 4-for-4 at the plate. Hyndiuk was 3-for-5 at the dish with three runs scored. Kuperus was 2-for-5 with three RBI while Padilla was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI.

 

The two teams will conclude the four-game series with a Friday doubleheader at Trine set to begin at 2 p.m.