GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Today the Calvin softball team continued its non-conference schedule when it welcomed Chicago University and picked up two statement wins over the Maroons.
 
GAME ONE
CALVIN 1, CHICAGO 0
 
Right from the jump both teams found themselves locked in a pitching and defensive battle as hits proved to be hard to come by. In the circle, senior Brooke Hunderman (Grand Rapids, Mich./Calvin Christian) controlled the pace as she retired batter after batter and kept the Maroons off the base path.
 
It wasn't until the bottom of the fourth inning when senior Carly Dole (Mt. Pleasant, Mich./Mt. Pleasant), who is already the Knights career triple record holder, added another to her total to give Calvin a runner in scoring position. Up next, junior Natalie Bush (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) didn't waste the opportunity as she sent the ball up the middle and brought in Dole for the Knights only run of the game.
 
On the defensive side of the ball Calvin held the Maroon scoreless as Hunderman went on to pitch all seven innings while only giving up one hit and recording two strikeouts.
 
GAME TWO
CALVIN 18, CHICAGO 1
 
While it was the Maroons who got on the board first in the second game of the evening it was the Knights who took over in the bottom of the first when freshman Audrey Ford (Kalamazoo, Mich./Mattawan) got on base with an infield single. Fellow freshman Bella Duimstra (Jenison, Mich./Unity Christian) took advantage of a fielding error to get on base before a wild pitch brought Ford home for Calvin's first run of the game. 
 
Up next, Dole recorded her second hit of the day when she singled to score Duimstra and give the Knights a 2-1 lead. Back-to-back walks from Bush and Kendall Jordan (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) loaded the bases for Tory Decker (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) who cashed in a two-run single up the middle.
 
Roan Stanifer (Mishawaka, Ind./Marian) recorded an RBI single when she sent a shot to right field before two more runs scored thanks to defensive errors from Chicago. The Knights wrapped up their onslaught of first inning scoring when Duimstra singled to bring home Aubrey Herder (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Christian) and make the score 8-1.
 
Calvin's impressive offensive display continued in the third inning when Ford notched two RBIs with a hit down the left field line while Dole added to her RBI total when she had a sacrifice infield fly.
 
The Knights added a whopping seven runs to their total in the bottom of the fourth inning with Alexis Hazen (Lake Orion, Mich./Lake Orion), Analy Guth (Southgate, Mich./Trenton), Olivia Herlin (Three Rivers, Mich./Constantine), and Jaye Guichelaar (Sparta, Mich./West Catholic) each notching one RBI while Duimsta recorded two off a triple to right field.
 
In the circle, senior Emma Ludema (Martin, Mich./Wayland) picked up the 18-1 win after throwing 4.0 innings and recording three strikeouts. Freshman Camila Rameriez-Quijada (South Bend, Ind./Mishawaka) closed out the game for the Knights when she entered in the fifth inning a notched one strikeout.
 
COACHES COMMENT: "Great to pick up two wins at home," said head coach Becky Hilgert. "We certainly saw two different games but really happy we played error free throughout both and the bats finally came alive in game two. We talked about how hitting is contagious, and it was great to put together a run and string several hits and runs together."
 
UP NEXT: The Knights will be back in action on Friday, March 27th when they travel to Bloomington, Illinois to take on Illinois Wesleyan at 3 PM and 5 PM.