The Calvin softball team took both games against Albion and Adrian in the MIAA Tournament with a 9-1 win over Albion and a 3-1 win over Adrian on Friday afternoon in a four-team pod hosted by Hope. Calvin advances to the finals of the pod and will play at 2 p.m. against either Adrian or Hope. 

Game 1
Calvin 9, Albion 1 (6 innings) 

Calvin faced off against Albion in its opening game of the MIAA Tournament. The Knights started off scoring right away in the first inning as senior Grace Stock (Vicksburg, MI / Vicksburg) homered to give the Knights a 1-0 lead.  Calvin continued to keep putting runs on the board in the third inning as Stock singled to score senior Hannah Horvath (Caledonia, MI / Caledonia). Kali Yant (Vicksburg, MI / Vicksburg) hit a sac fly to help extend the lead to 3-0 at the end of the third inning. 

The Britons finally managed to score in the top of the fifth inning to only trail 3-1, but the Knights answered right back. Calvin scored three more runs in the bottom of the fifth as Hannah Biddlecome (Portage, MI / Portage Northern) singled to the infield and Horvath scored on an error to score their first run of the inning. Biddlecome stole third then scored on a throwing error while senior Kayla Groen (Frankfort, IL / Lincoln Way East) hit an RBI single to center to put the Knights up 6-1. 

Albion couldn't get the bats going as Bri Leegwater (Zeeland, MI / Holland Christian) was pitching a solid game for Calvin. The Knights closed out the game in the bottom of the sixth with a bases clearing double by Stock to mercy the Britons 9-1 and advance to play Adrian in the second game of the day. 

Game 2
Calvin 3, Adrian 1 

The Knights took on the Bulldogs of Adrian as Adrian defeated Hope earlier in the day. Both teams started off slow hitting the ball and had no runs in the first two innings of the game. Calvin put the first run in the board in the top of the third inning as Stock continued her hot streak with an RBI double to right field. 

Senior Ellie Borst (Hudsonville, MI / Unity Christian) was pitching a stellar game for the Knights as Calvin took a 1-0 lead heading into the fourth inning. Adrian tied it up in the bottom of the inning however with a solo homerun. The Knights regained the lead in the top of the sixth with Stock's second home run of the day. 

Yant added to the run total in the top of the seventh inning as she hit an RBI single to center field to extend the lead to 3-1. Sophomore Kirsten Krause (Fredonia, WI / Grafton) came on in relief and held back the Bulldogs in the final three innings collecting four strikeouts and the win for Calvin. Stock finished the game with two hits and two RBIs while Yant finished with two hits and one RBI. 

COACHES COMMENTS: "I thought we showed a lot a grit today in our games, said Head Coach Becky Hilgert. "Playoff softball is a whole new mission and I felt we were pretty locked in from the start and had good energy in both games. We made some huge defensive plays to stifle the opposition from capitalizing on any potential rally. Only giving up two runs to two good teams was a key to our success. Offensively we played out our game plan of aggressive baserunning and productive at bats. Our seniors really lead the way and showed their experience with playoff softball. Overall two great team wins." 

UP NEXT: Calvin will travel back to Hope to face either Adrian or Hope in the 2 p.m. final.