GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Calvin University baseball team closed its three-game series against Kalamazoo College with a doubleheader split on Saturday.
Calvin (13-11, 4-2) won the opener 7-3, but Kalamazoo (16-5, 5-1) held on to win game two 5-2.
Game 1
The Knights scored seven times in the first three innings on the way to a 7-3 win in game one.
With the score tied 1-1 heading into the bottom of the second, the Knights jumped in front with a two-run single by
Patrick Gillen (Jensen Beach, Fla./Jensen Beach) that scored
Aidan Jaworowski (Zeeland, Mich./Zeeland East) and
Josh Winkle (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian).
After starting pitcher
Evan Steinbacher (Sparta, Mich./Sparta) pitched a scoreless third, the Knights came back with four runs in the bottom half of the inning. Winkle drove in the first run on a bases-loaded walk, and
Ryan Brown (Caledonia, Mich./Caledonia) followed with a two-run double.
Nate Mason (Portage, Mich./Portage Northern) finished the scoring with an RBI-single to push the Calvin advantage to 7-1.
Steinbacher worked four strong innings, but fell into trouble in the fifth when the Hornets doubled home two to cut the lead to 7-3 before
Matt Reynolds (Hopkins, Mich./Hopkins) stranded the bases loaded in relief to keep the Knights' lead at four.
The Calvin bullpen dominated the rest of the way, as Reynolds (2-0),
Kyle Koning (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Christian) and
Ian Doyle (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grandville) threw 4.2 scoreless innings in relief. The trio combined to allow zero runs on just two hits and three walks while striking out four to close out the win.
Brown led the Knights at the plate with two hits and two RBI. Winkle scored two runs to go with his one hit and one RBI.
Game 2
Kalamazoo salvaged the split thanks to a 5-2 win in game two.
The Knights scored first on an RBI-fielder's choice from
Caden Penn (Macomb, Mich./Lutheran North) in the first inning, but the Hornets answered with a solo home run in the third and a two-run single in the fourth to take a 3-1 lead.
Mason singled home Jaworowski in the fifth inning to cut the Calvin deficit to 3-2, but that would be the last of the scoring for the Knights on the day, and Kalamazoo added a pair of insurance runs in the eighth inning on the way to the win.
Both teams worked their way in and out of trouble throughout the game, as the teams combined to leave 19 runners on base (10 for Kalamazoo and nine for Calvin).
Ian Schuster (Howell, Mich./Hartland) started the game on the mound for the Knights and took the loss (1-1) after allowing three runs on four hits in 3.2 innings. The Calvin bullpen allowed two runs on four hits in the final 5.1 innings while striking out three.
Logan Nelson (Fremont, Mich./Fremont) led the Knights on offense with three hits, with Brown and Mason each chipping in two hits.
COACH'S COMMENT: "I was really happy with the way we competed all weekend against a very good Kalamazoo team," Calvin head coach
Kevin Van Duyn said. "That's a very good offense, and our pitching staff and defense were great in allowing only 11 runs all series. We were very happy to get the win in the opening game today and competed well in game two. We have a big week ahead of us with five conference games, and we're looking forward to getting back at it on Monday at Alma."
NEXT UP: Calvin baseball returns to action on Monday, April 8, when it travels to Alma for a game scheduled to start at 4:00 PM.
