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Box Score 2 OLIVET, Mich. – For the first time since 2014, the Calvin softball team will play in May. The Knights not only clinched a spot in the MIAA Tournament, but also the No. 2 seed in the tournament with a sweep of the Comets on Friday afternoon. The Maroon and Gold spoiled senior day at Olivet with 1-0 and 5-0 victories over the Comets. With the victories, Calvin improves to 28-5 on the year and 11-3 in the MIAA. The 28 wins are the most since 1995, when the Knights went 31-11. The Maroon and Gold passed the 1997 team on Friday, that recorded a record of 27-13.
"Two more important conference wins for our team," said Becky Hilgert. "Our defense played error-free behind solid outings from Anna and Ellie. We are excited to have met our goal of clinching a spot in the conference tournament but we know we have more work to do. We have grinded out some tough wins and we are ready to get back at it tomorrow at Trine to close out the regular season."
The Knights and the Comets found themselves in a defensive battle in game one.
The Maroon and Gold broke the tie in the fifth inning on an Olivet error off the bat of senior Jessica Brasser (Rockford, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian) to score junior Kristen Newman (Chelsea, Mich./Chelsea).
The Knights nipped away Olivet threats to keep the Comets off the scoreboard.
Junior Maddie DeGroot (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) led game one with three hits.
Junior Anna Gernant (West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley recorded 10 strikeouts in her 10th victory of the year.
The Knights jumped on Olivet early in game two with three runs in the first inning. Freshman Kennedy Geiger (Clarksville, Mich./Lake Odessa) made the Comets pay with the bases loaded. Geiger tripled in the gap in right-center to score Anna Gernant, freshman Grace Stock (Vicksburg, Mich./Vicksburg) and Jessica Brasser.
In the fifth inning, Anna Gernant singled into the gap in right-center to score Maddie DeGroot. Kennedy Geiger struck again in the fifth inning with a single to center field to score junior Abby Colon (Caledonia, Mich./South Christian).
Kennedy Geiger finished the game with a career-high four RBI and went 3-0 on the year against her sister Konnor.
Kennedy Geiger and Anna Gernant both finished with two hits.
Freshman Elli Borst (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) finished game two with eight strikeouts in her 14th victory of the season.
Calvin closes the regular season on Saturday at Trine.
Saint Mary's will host the MIAA Tournament on Thursday and Friday. Hope, Adrian, Alma and Trine will all battle this weekend for the final two spots.
