CLERMONT, Fla. – The Calvin softball team closed out its spring trip with a flourish, defeating Mount Union 3-2 and Husson 7-5.

The Knights close out their spring trip with a 6-4 record.

GAME ONE
Calvin 3, Mount Union 2

Calvin used a two-out RBI triple by junior Sydney Duong (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Christian HS) to gain a walk-off win over the Purple Raiders.

Calvin fell behind 1-0 after one inning but gained a 2-1 lead in the third as Duong walked and scored on a double to left-center by senior Addi Warner (South Bend, Ind./Clay HS). Warner then scored from second on a Mount Union infield error.

Mount Union tied the game 2-2 in the top of the seventh with a double and a fielding error by the Knights that brought home the tying run.

Freshman Kennedi Pepin (Bourbannais, Il./Bradley Bourbannais HS) got things going for the Knights in the bottom half of the frame, roping a one-out single to right.

With two outs, Duong boomed a triple to left field with Pepin racing all the way around from first base for the game-winning run.

Junior Kirsten Krause (Fredonia, Wisc./Grafton HS) went the distance in the circle for the Knights to pick up her second win of the spring. Krause struck out one and walked one while scattering four Mount Union hits.

Calvin came up with five hits – two off the bat of Duong and two off the bat of Warner.

GAME TWO
Calvin 7, Husson 5

Calvin closed out its spring schedule with a win over a Husson team that finished 29-3 last spring and reached the 2021 NCAA III Regional Tournament finals.

Calvin trailed 5-4 after three innings but scored two runs in the fourth and another in the fifth.

Warner cracked a sacrifice fly in the fourth with sophomore Ali Schultz (Wyoming, Mich./Grandville HS) following with a run-scoring triple that boosted the Knights into a 6-5 lead. In the fifth, Pepin delivered a key run-scoring single that brought home pinch-runner freshman Emma Walker (Hamilton, Mich./Saugatuck HS) who had stolen second base moments earlier.

Duong led an eight-hit Calvin attack by going 3-for-4 at the plate. Freshman Lily Gaastra (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian HS) also went 2-for-4 for the Knights.

Freshman Zoe Hazelhoff (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Christian HS) picked up the win in relief for the Knights while Krause pitched the final three innings to earn the save.

COACHES COMMENT: "I am really pleased how we competed through 14 innings today," said Calvin head softball coach Becky Hilgert. "It was a long week and today, especially, we had to dig deep and find ways to grind out two wins against two very good opponents. Offensively we finally got in a groove and had some clutch contributions in key moments from players up and down the lineup. We still have a lot to work on but really happy with the progress we made this week as a team."

NEXT UP: Calvin will travel to Bluffton University for a doubleheader on March 18.