WINTER HAVEN, Fla. – The Calvin University baseball team put together its most dominant performance of the early season with a 13-2 win over University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) at Chain O'Lakes Field on Friday.
Calvin (6-4) broke the game open with at least three runs in the fourth, sixth and seventh innings to end the game after seven thanks to the 10-run rule.
The Knights jumped on the board first with a two-out rally in the opening inning as
Ryan Schummer (West Lafayette, Ind./Central Catholic) singled home
Gabe Bonemer (Okemos, Mich./Okemos) to put the Knights on top 1-0.
Starting pitcher
Cam Seth (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian/GRCC) was strong for most of the day but ran into trouble in the second inning as he allowed one run on three walks and a hit batter, but recovered without allowing any other runs in his 5.0 innings of work.
Seth's work on the mound allowed the Calvin hitters to get going, which started with a five-run fourth inning that gave the Knights control of the game. Schummer started the rally with a leadoff double and the Knights finished with five runs on five hits in the frame that was capped by a two-run RBI single from
Matt Reynolds (Hopkins, Mich./Hopkins).
The offense continued to threaten in the sixth with four more runs. Schummer tripled home Bonemer to start the scoring and
Josh Winkle (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian) followed an RBI-single from
Hunter Scholma (Allendale, Mich./Allendale) with a two-run triple of his own to push the Knights' lead to 10-1 after six.
The Knights struck for three more in the top of the seventh on another two-run triple from Bonemer, who later scored on a wild pitch.
Ben Ferguson (Grandville, Mich./Grandville) pitched the final two innings in relief and allowed one unearned run to finish off the seven-inning win.
Seth improved to 2-1 on the season with a strong start, throwing 5.0 innings and allowing one run on three hits while striking out five.
Schummer led the offense with three hits to go with two RBI. Bonemer, Winkle and
Nate Mason (Portage, Mich./Portage Northern) each finished with two hits, while Reynolds, Scholma, Bonemer and Winkle joined Schummer with two RBI apiece.
The win moved Calvin to 5-3 so far on its Florida trip.
NEXT UP: Calvin baseball will close its spring break trip to Florida with a pair of games tomorrow (Saturday, March 15) at Lake Myrtle Park. The Knights will open the day with a 9:00 AM game against Russell Sage College before facing Beloit College at 12:00 PM.
