JACKSONVILLE, Ill. – The Calvin University baseball team opened the 2024 season with a 5-2 loss to Augustana College on Friday, February 23.
 
Calvin (0-1) started the season with a bang, with Caden Penn (Macomb, Mich./Lutheran North) hitting a solo home run in the top of the first inning to put the Knights on top.
 
Augustana (2-1) responded with a pair of runs in the bottom of the first to take a 2-1 lead, and then added two more runs off Calvin starting pitcher Ian Doyle (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grandville) in the third inning to push its lead to 4-1.
 
After the Vikings pushed one run across in the fifth inning against Calvin reliever Ben Ferguson (Grandville, Mich./Grandville), the Calvin bullpen duo of Michial Schuster (Howell, Mich./Hartland) and Levi Suter (Martinsville, Ind./Martinsville) pitched three scoreless innings to keep the Knights within striking distance.
 
Calvin pushed one more run across in the top of the sixth inning on a Nate Mason (Portage, Mich./Portage Northern) single that scored Gabe Brown (Caledonia, Mich./Caledonia), but that would be the end of the scoring for the Knights.
 
Doyle (0-1) went the first four innings for the Knights, allowing four runs on six hits while striking out two. The three Calvin relievers combined to pitch four innings and allow one run on two hits while striking out five.
 
Penn led the Calvin offense with two hits, while Mason and Patrick Gillen (Jensen Beach, Fla./Jensen Beach) each finished with one hit apiece.
 
COACH'S COMMENT: "A well-played college baseball game for the first game of the year," Calvin head baseball coach Kevin Van Duyn said. "We missed a few opportunities at the plate, but we're eager to play 18 more innings tomorrow against more outstanding competition.
 
NEXT UP: Calvin baseball will return to action tomorrow (Saturday, February 24) when the Knights play two more games in Jacksonville, Ill. The Knights will face Simpson in the first game starting at 11:00 AM (CST), followed by a game against Loras at 2:30 PM (CST).