CLERMONT, FL - Today the Calvin softball team continued its spring break trip with a win over Western New England in the afternoon before falling to Case Western Reserve in the night cap.
 
GAME ONE
CALVIN 3, WESTERN NEW ENGLAND 1
 
In the first game of the day the Knights looked to take on the Western New England University where the Golden Bears drew first blood when they pushed a run across the plate in the top of the first inning. 
 
Calvin looked to respond in the bottom of the second inning when freshman Kendall Jordan (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) found a way on base thanks to a Golden Bears defensive error. Jordan moved herself into scoring position on a wild pitch before another wild pitch moved her to third and walked senior Tory Decker (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian). The defensive struggles continued for Western New England as Jordan stole home on a passed ball to tie the game at 1-1 while Decker moved into scoring position.
 
Junior Emily Sweetland (Ann Arbor, Mich./Saline) rounded out the Knights' scoring for the second inning when she singled up the middle to bring in Decker and give Calvin their first lead of the game.
 
The Knights tacked on another run in the next inning when senior Carly Dole (Mt. Pleasant, Mich./Mt. Pleasant) crossed the plate on a single from junior Natalie Bush (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian). 
 
The Calvin defense remained strong behind senior pitcher Emma Ludema (Martin, Mich./Wayland) and the Knights went on to pick up the 3-1 win. Ludema went all seven innings and recorded four strikeouts.
 
GAME TWO
CALVIN 0, CASE WESTERN RESERVE 2
 
In their second game of the day the Knights looked to take on the No. 16 Case Western Reserve Spartans. In the first inning, Calvin put early pressure on the Spartans defense as Audrey Ford (Kalamazoo, Mich./Mattawan) and Dole both found their way on before a single from freshman Kendall Jordan (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) loaded the bases for the Knights. However, Case Western locked in defensively to get out of the jam and Calvin headed into the bottom of the inning scoreless.
 
The game remained scoreless through the first two innings as senior pitcher Brooke Hunderman (Grand Rapids, Mich./Calvin Christian) worked to keep the Spartan hitters off balance and the Knights defense made plays behind her. In the bottom of the third inning, Case Western found a spark when they hit a two-run home run to center field and took a slim 2-0 lead over Calvin.
 
Baserunner were hard to come by for both teams and it wasn't until the top of the seventh that Calvin created an opportunity when pinch hitter Mya Brickley (Battle Creek, Mich./Delton Kellogg) forced a walk to give the Knights a baserunner. Freshman Analy Guth (Southgate, Mich./Trenton) entered the game as a pinch hitter and took advantage of a Case Western error to make it to first and move Brickley into scoring position for Calvin. However, the Spartans fought back and retired the next Calvin batter and the Knights fell 0-2.
 
Hunderman went all seven innings for the Knights where she recorded four strikeouts and only gave up three hits.
 
UP NEXT: The Knights will be back in action tomorrow morning (Wednesday, March 11th) when they take on Roger Williams at 9 AM and Rhode Island at 1:45 PM.