GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Calvin University baseball team evened its conference record with a 5-4 walk-off win at home against Olivet on Friday.

The two teams went back and forth throughout the game, with neither team able to pull away until Caden Penn (Macomb, Mich./Lutheran North) won the game for Calvin (10-11, 2-2 MIAA) with a bases-loaded single in the ninth inning that scored Patrick Gillen (Jensen Beach, Fla./Jensen Beach) from third base to break a 4-4 tie.

The Knights started the game well on offense as Gillen drove in Carson Warners (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian) in the first inning to take a 1-0 lead.

The teams traded the lead several times in the middle innings, as Warners answered a two-run fifth frame from Olivet (2-16, 0-4 MIAA) with an RBI-single to score Will Mueller (Aurora, Ill./Metea Valley), and then came around to score on a passed ball to give the Knights a 3-2 lead.

Olivet answered with two more runs in the sixth inning, but Nate Mason (Portage, Mich./Portage Northern) tied the game with a single that scored Gillen to tie the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the seventh.

The Comets looked ready to take control in the top of the ninth as they loaded the bases on two hit batters and one walk, but Evan Steinbacher (Sparta, Mich./Sparta) came on in relief to get the final two outs to keep the score tied heading into the last frame.

Gillen started the rally with a one-out double in the final frame, and Mason followed an intentional walk with a single to left field to set up Penn for the game-winning hit.

Alex Owen (St. Johns, Mich./St. Johns) started the game for the Knights and pitched four scoreless innings, allowing one hit while striking out three. Four relievers saw action for Calvin, with Ben Feruson (Grandville, Mich./Grandville), Fletcher Bandstra (Schereville, Ind./Illiana Christian) and Steinbacher combining to throw three scoreless innings with six strikeouts in the final three frames. Steinbacher earned the win to improve to 1-0 on the season.

Mason led the Knights with three hits, while Gillen and Mueller each added two. Gillen and Warners both scored two runs in the game.

COACH'S COMMENT: "Great finish to the game for us to get the win," Calvin head baseball coach Kevin Van Duyn said. "We had great at bats in the ninth inning, culminating in Caden Penn's game-winning hit. I also thought we had outstanding pitching today, especially Evan Steinbacher coming on in the ninth with the bases loaded and stranding all three runners."

NEXT UP: Calvin baseball will return to action tomorrow (Saturday, April 8) when it takes on Olivet in a doubleheader starting at 1:00 PM.