Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Calvin opened its MIAA campaign with a doubleheader split with visiting Alma Tuesday afternoon at the Gainey Athletic Complex. The Knights took the opener 6-2 with the Scots winning game two by the same score. Tuesday's twinbill featured a rematch of last spring's (Best of Three) MIAA Tournament Championship Series final which Calvin won 2-1. The Knights are now 12-6 overall and 1-1 in league play.
GAME ONE
Calvin 6, Alma 2
Alma grabbed a 1-0 lead with an unearned run in the top of the first but Calvin tied the game in the third as freshman Sage Mougin (New Carlisle, Ind./New Prairie HS) scored from third on a wild pitch. In the fourth, freshman Kennedi Pepin (Bourbannais, Il./Bradley Bourbannais HS) tripled to centerfield and came home with two outs on a throwing error to lift the Knights into a 2-1 lead.
In the fifth, Calvin loaded the bases on singles by junior Sidney Duong (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Christian HS), senior Hannah Biddlecome (Portage, Mich./Portage Northern HS) and senior Addi Warner (South Bend, Ind./Clay HS).
Junior Kali Yant (Vicksburg, Mich./Vicksburg HS) then delivered a two-run RBI double to center to give Calvin a 4-1 lead.
Alma came back with a run in the top of the sixth but Pepin helped choked off an Alma rally by throwing out a batter at first base from her spot in right field as she charged hard on a bounding ball hit into shallow right.
In the bottom of the sixth, Duong reached on a fielder's choice and Biddlecome laced a double to left with two outs. Warner then belted a two-run single past third base to give the Knights a 6-2 lead.
Junior Kirsten Krause (Fredonia, Wisc./Grafton HS) then pitched a scoreless seventh, allowing only one Alma baserunner to close out the win.
Krause (6-3) scattered eight hits, striking out three without a walk.
Biddlecome and Warner had two hits apiece.
GAME TWO
Alma 6, Calvin 2
Alma scored four runs in the third and two in the fourth to pull away for the win.
Calvin had threats in the first, third and fourth but had potential run-scoring innings choked off by the Scots.
Calvin scored an unearned run in the fifth and added another in the sixth on an RBI single by Yant.
The Knights went down in order in the seventh however as Alma closed out the win.
Warner had a pair of doubles while Yant also had two hits.
Freshman Zoe Hazelhoff (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Christian HS) took the loss in three innings of work to fall to 6-2 on the season. Sophomore Maddy Meredith (Portland, Mich./Grand Ledge HS) tossed three quality innings of relief, striking out three batters.
COACHES COMMENT: "I am very happy how we competed as a team in Game 1," said Calvin head softball coach Becky Hilgert. "We had some clutch hits at key moments to keep the momentum especially towards the end of the game. In game 2, I thought we lost focus and made some mental mistakes, especially on the bases that were too costly. In this league, you have to limit your mistakes and we had just too many to overcome against a tough Alma squad. Overall it was a positive start to our conference season."
NEXT UP: Calvin is scheduled to travel to Saint Mary's on Wednesday for a conference doubleheader slated to start at 3 p.m. in Notre Dame, Indiana.
GAME ONE
Calvin 6, Alma 2
Alma grabbed a 1-0 lead with an unearned run in the top of the first but Calvin tied the game in the third as freshman Sage Mougin (New Carlisle, Ind./New Prairie HS) scored from third on a wild pitch. In the fourth, freshman Kennedi Pepin (Bourbannais, Il./Bradley Bourbannais HS) tripled to centerfield and came home with two outs on a throwing error to lift the Knights into a 2-1 lead.
In the fifth, Calvin loaded the bases on singles by junior Sidney Duong (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Christian HS), senior Hannah Biddlecome (Portage, Mich./Portage Northern HS) and senior Addi Warner (South Bend, Ind./Clay HS).
Junior Kali Yant (Vicksburg, Mich./Vicksburg HS) then delivered a two-run RBI double to center to give Calvin a 4-1 lead.
Alma came back with a run in the top of the sixth but Pepin helped choked off an Alma rally by throwing out a batter at first base from her spot in right field as she charged hard on a bounding ball hit into shallow right.
In the bottom of the sixth, Duong reached on a fielder's choice and Biddlecome laced a double to left with two outs. Warner then belted a two-run single past third base to give the Knights a 6-2 lead.
Junior Kirsten Krause (Fredonia, Wisc./Grafton HS) then pitched a scoreless seventh, allowing only one Alma baserunner to close out the win.
Krause (6-3) scattered eight hits, striking out three without a walk.
Biddlecome and Warner had two hits apiece.
GAME TWO
Alma 6, Calvin 2
Alma scored four runs in the third and two in the fourth to pull away for the win.
Calvin had threats in the first, third and fourth but had potential run-scoring innings choked off by the Scots.
Calvin scored an unearned run in the fifth and added another in the sixth on an RBI single by Yant.
The Knights went down in order in the seventh however as Alma closed out the win.
Warner had a pair of doubles while Yant also had two hits.
Freshman Zoe Hazelhoff (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Christian HS) took the loss in three innings of work to fall to 6-2 on the season. Sophomore Maddy Meredith (Portland, Mich./Grand Ledge HS) tossed three quality innings of relief, striking out three batters.
COACHES COMMENT: "I am very happy how we competed as a team in Game 1," said Calvin head softball coach Becky Hilgert. "We had some clutch hits at key moments to keep the momentum especially towards the end of the game. In game 2, I thought we lost focus and made some mental mistakes, especially on the bases that were too costly. In this league, you have to limit your mistakes and we had just too many to overcome against a tough Alma squad. Overall it was a positive start to our conference season."
NEXT UP: Calvin is scheduled to travel to Saint Mary's on Wednesday for a conference doubleheader slated to start at 3 p.m. in Notre Dame, Indiana.
