GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Today the Calvin softball team split with the Maroons of Chicago.
GAME 1
CALVIN 10, CHICAGO 5
In the first game of the afternoon the Knights got rolling early when Grace Glass (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central) beat out a bunt in the bottom of the first inning. She advanced when Emilie Gist (Bettendorf, Iowa/Bettendorf) sent the ball back up the middle and was brought home on a sacrifice fly from Taylor Sanborn (Midland, Mich./Midland) to give Calvin a quick 1-0 lead.
In the bottom of the third inning Gist was hit by a pitch and Sanbon singled through the left side of the infield to give the Knights two baserunners. Two batters later, Tory Decker (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) ripped a shot down the right field line to bring in one of the runs and extend the Calvin lead. Emma Walker (Hamilton, Mich./Saugatuck) got in on the action on the next play when she doubled to left center and picked up two RBIs to make it a 4-0 game.
The Maroons looked to respond in the top of the fourth as they started to find some holes in the Knights defense. Chicago was able to narrow the gap by pushing two runs across the plate before Calvin could retire the sign.
Chicago picked up two more runs in the top of the fifth inning before we headed into the bottom of the fifth inning the Knights offense exploded. Just like the last two innings where Calvin scored, things once again started with Gist and Sanborn both finding their way on base for Calvin. The Maroons panicked when Kennedi Pepin (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley Bourbonnais) laid down a bunt and made an error that allowed Gist to score for the first run of the inning. This brought up Decker and with two runners in scoring position she cashed in on the opportunity by hitting a stand up triple to right center and make the score 7-4.
Walker kept the momentum going for Calvin when she doubled to left field and scored Decker. Third baseman Lily Gaastra (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian) watched four balls go by before claiming her free base and just like that the Knights had runners on first and third. A slew of wild throws from the Maroons pitcher allowed Walker to score and Gaastra advance before an error by the Chicago second baseman allowed Gaastra to cross the plate and give Calvin the 10-4 lead.
The Maroon looked to stay alive in the top of the seventh when they were able to pick up another run but the deficit proved to be too great and the Knights walked away with the 10-5 victory.
Calvin recorded nine hits in the game with Walker and Decker each having three RBIs. Sophomore Emma Ludema (Martin, Mich./Wayland) started the game in the circle for the Knights before being relieved by junior Zoe Hazelhoff (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Christian) in the fourth inning.
GAME 2
CALVIN 0, CHICAGO 1
The second game of the day would prove to be a defensive battle as both pitchers kept the opposing hitters off balance and out of rhythm. The only run of the game was scored by Chicago in the top of the first inning when the lead off batter doubled and was quickly brought home on a single up the middle.
At the plate, the Knights struggled to get their bat on the ball as they only recorded two hits during the game. Their best scoring opportunity came in the bottom of the seventh inning when Pepin hit a lead off single up the middle. The situation improved when Decker found her way on base to give Calvin two base runners with no outs. However, the momentum that the Knights were building would be lost when Walker flew out to left field and the Maroons defense doubled off Pepin when she got too big of a lead at second base. A ground ball by the next Calvin batter closed out the game as Chicago bettered Calvin, 1-0.
Sophomore Brooke Hunderman (Grand Rapids, Mich./Calvin Christian) commanded the mound for the Knights as she recorded eight strikeouts.
UP NEXT: The Knights will be back in action tomorrow when they travel to take on Wheaton. Game one is set to begin at 2 p.m. (CST) while game two will start at 4 p.m. (CST).
