SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Today the Calvin women's softball team headed down to South Bend, Indiana to take on the Belles of Saint Mary's for a MIAA match up. After dominating the first game the Knights won game two on a walk off single to improve to a 22-12 overall record and a 9-3 MIAA record.
 
GAME ONE
CALVIN 7, SAINT MARY'S 0
 
In the first game of the day the Knights jumped on the board first when junior right fielder Tory Decker (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) knocked a triple to right center to score Taylor Sanborn (Midland, Mich./Midland) in the top of the second. On the next play, Decker took advantage of a wild pitch from the Belles and stole home to make the score 2-0.
 
Calvin tacked on another run in the next inning when shortstop Aubrey Herder (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Christian) doubled to bring in senior Lily Gaastra (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian).
 
In the top of the sixth inning the Knights really came alive when senior Kennedi Pepin (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley Bourbonnais) beat out a bunt which allowed freshman pinch runner Lauren Wright (Dorr, Mich./Wayland) to cross the plate. Calvin kept things rolling when a fielding error from the Belles allowed a run to cross before sophomore Alanna Garcia (Holt, Mich./Holt) singled through the left side to score Pepin and make the score 6-0.
 
Calvin wrapped up their scoring on the next play when freshman Valeria Frias (Wyoming, Mich./Potters House) put the ball in play and Mya Brickley (Battle Creek, Mich./Delton Kellogg) came home on a fielder's choice.
 
In the circle, junior Brooke Hunderman (Grand Rapids, Mich./Calvin Christian) went all seven innings for the Knights where she shutout the Belles and recorded six strikeouts. Herder, Sanborn, Decker, and Gaastra each finished with two hits in the 7-0 victory.
 
GAME TWO
CALVIN 6, SAINT MARY'S 5
 
In the second game of the day, it was the Belles who drew first blood when they pushed a run across the plate in the top of the first inning. Looking to respond, second baseman Emily Sweetland (Ann Arbor, Mich./Saline) sent a sacrifice fly to center field to score Frias before a walk from Carly Dole (Mt. Pleasant, Mich./Mt. Pleasant) allowed Herder to cross the plate and give Calvin the lead.
 
Saint Mary's tied the game back up in the second inning before RBIs from Sweetland and Decker in the bottom of the inning once again gave Calvin the lead. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Dole gave the Knights another boost when she homered to right center to extend the lead to 5-2.
 
In the top of the seventh inning, the Belles managed to stay alive when they came alive on offense and pushed three runs across the plate to tie the score at 5-5.
 
In the bottom of the inning, Dole gave Calvin a strong start when she hit a lead off double to right field. Up next, a defensive miscue left first base wide open when Sanborn laid down a bunt and the Knights quickly had two runners on first and third with no outs.
 
This brought up Decker who took advantage of the scoring opportunity on the second pitch when she hit a hard ground ball just to the left of the shortstop. While the Belles defender stopped the ball and made the throw home, Dole showed off her speed as she beat the throw and gave Calvin the 6-5 victory.
 
COACHES COMMENTS: "Offensively, I thought we implemented a lot of the little things we have been working on in practice, putting the ball in play and hitting behind runners," said head coach Becky Hilgert. "We saw the results with runs in multiple innings. Brooke and Emma pitched very well today but our defense needs to stand a little stronger in the pressure moments. I like how we fought and we executed well in the bottom of the 7th to pick up two more important conference wins."
 
UP NEXT: The Knights will be back in action on Wednesday, April 30th when they welcome the Alma Scots to campus for a MIAA doubleheader match up. Game one is set for 3 PM while game two will follow at 5 PM.