CHICAGO, Ill. - Today the Calvin softball team hit the road to take on the Maroons of Chicago in a non-conference match up. After dropping game one the Knights bounced back to take game two and moved their overall record to 12-8.
 
GAME 1
CALVIN 1, CHICAGO 4
 
In the first game of the day the Maroon got off to a hot start when they took an early lead by pushing two runs across the plate in the bottom of first inning. The Knights looked to respond in the second inning when senior Emma Walker (Hamilton, Mich./Saugatuck) singled to center field to score junior Tory Decker (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) and tie things up.
 
However, Chicago reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the fourth with a run before tacking on two more in the sixth. Calvin tried to get something going in the seventh the Maroon defense prevailed as they took down the Knights 4-1.
 
Junior pitcher Brooke Hunderman (Grand Rapids, Mich./Calvin Christian) started the game for the Knights where she recorded three strikeouts. Senior Zoe Hazelhoff (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Christian) entered the game in relief in the sixth inning and notched one strikeout.
 
GAME 2
CALVIN 7, CHICAGO 1
 
Looking to bounce back, the Knights drew first blood in game two when sophomore Mya Brickley (Battle Creek, Mich./Delton Kellogg) doubled to left field to score Decker in the bottom of the fourth inning.
 
Chicago hit back in the fifth when they scored a run of their own before both teams locked in on defense. Junior pitcher Emma Ludema (Martin, Mich./Martin) worked to keep the Maroon hitter off balance and keep their scoring opportunities to a minimum. 
 
It wasn't until the top of the seventh inning when Taylor Sanborn (Midland, Mich./Midland) singled to center field to score pinch runner Lauren Wright (Dorr, Mich./Wayland) to give the Knights the lead. However, Calvin didn't stop there as Decker picked up another RBI when she singled to left center to score third baseman Carly Dole (Mt. Pleasant, Mich./Mt. Pleasant) before senior Kennedi Pepin (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley Bourbonnais) followed up with a two RBI single back up the middle.
 
The Knights wrapped up their scoring on the next play when Brickey hammered a two run home run over the center field fence to give Calvin the 7-1 lead. In the bottom of the inning, the Calvin defense remained strong as they walked away with the game two victory.
 
Brickley finished leading the Knights with three RBIs while Decker had two. Sophomore second baseman recorded two hits during the game while Ludema finished with three strikeouts and only giving up two hits.
 
COACHES COMMENTS: "I am really happy how we came alive at the end of game two, said head coach Becky Hilgert. "The team we saw in the 7th is the team we know we are capable of being both offensively and defensively; we just had to get it out. We've been on the road for 4 weeks, played some great teams all in preparation to head into conference play. We know what a grind our conference will be and we are excited to get on our home field April 5 and keep things going. Everything we want is still ahead of us."
 
UP NEXT: The Knights will be back in action on Saturday, April 5th when they open up MIAA play against Adrian in their first home game of the season. Game one is set to begin at 1PM while game two will start at 3PM.