Calvin University

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Today the Calvin softball team celebrated Senior Day with a bang when it picked up two big wins over the Comets of the University of Olivet. Today's wins also helped mark the sixth straight 20-win campaign for Calvin softball, including ninth under current head coach Becky Hilgert.
 
GAME ONE 
CALVIN 11, OLIVET 3
 
In the first game of the day the Knights drew first blood when freshman duo Bella Duimstra (Jenison, Mich./Unity Christian) and Audrey Ford (Kalamazoo, Mich./Mattawan) drew back-to-back walks to lead off the bottom of the first inning. Senior Carly Dole (Mt. Pleasant, Mich./Mt. Pleasant) recorded an RBI when she brought in Duimstra before Ford crossed the plate on a wild pitch to give Calvin a 2-0 lead.
 
However, the Comets didn't wait long to fight back as they found a way to push three runs across the plate in the top of the second inning. In the bottom of the inning, sophomore Valeria Frias (Wyoming, Mich./Potters House) and junior Aubrey Herder (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Christian) recorded back-to-back singles and both moved into scoring position thanks to a past ball. On the next play, Herder took advantage of a Comets defensive and crossed the plate to tie the game at 3-3. Up next, Dole cashed in on the scoring opportunity as she sent the ball back up the middle to bring in two runs and make the score 5-3 Knights.
 
Calvin tacked on another run in the bottom of the third thanks to an RBI from junior Emily Sweetland (Ann Arbor, Mich./Saline) before adding three more in the fifth with Herder being credited with two RBIs.
 
The Knights kept things rolling in the bottom of the sixth when freshman Kendall Jordan (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) notched a lead off infield single followed by a single from junior Roan Stanifer (Mishawaka, Ind./Marian). Up next, Dole capped off the scoring for Calvin when she brought in both runs with a double to left center and gave the Knights the 11-3 run in six innings.
 
In the circle, senior Brooke Hunderman (Grand Rapids, Mich./Calvin Christian) pitcher five innings where she recorded eleven strikeouts and only gave up three hits before being relieved by Camila Rameriez-Quijada (South Bend, Ind./Mishawaka) in the sixth.
 
GAME TWO 
CALVIN 13, OLIVET 1
 
Calvin carried its momentum from the first game into the second when Jordan led off the top of the second inning with a triple to left field. Two batters later, Sweetland hit a ground ball to second base and allowed Jordan to cross the plate for the first run of the game.
 
Dole and Jordan both nabbed an RBI in the top of the third inning to stretch the Calvin lead while the Comets worked to score a run of their own in the bottom of the inning to make the score 3-1.
 
The Knights showed no signs of slowing down when they loaded the bases to start the top of the fourth inning and scored two runs off a sacrifice fly from Ford. Two batters later, junior Natalie Bush (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) crushed a double over the head of the Comets center fielder to bring in two more runs and give Calvin a 7-1 lead. Jordan and senior Alanna Garcia (Holt, Mich./Holt) also recorded back-to-back RBIs before junior Mya Brickley (Battle Creek, Mich./Delton Kellogg) scored the final run of the inning off a Comets defensive error to make the score 11-1. Calvin added two more insurance runs in the top of the fifth with RBIs coming from sophomore Faith Hewkin (Battle Creek, Mich./Lakeview) and Stanifer as the Knights defeated Olivet 13-1 in five innings.
 
Senior pitcher Emma Ludema (Martin, Mich./Wayland) started the game in the circle for Calvin where she went four innings before being relieved by freshman Ally Coffey (Zilwaukee, Mich./Michigan Lutheran Seminary) in the fifth inning.
 
After the game, the Knights took time to honor the 2026 senior class which included Ludema, Hunderman, Garcia, Dole and Tory Decker (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian).
 
COACHES COMMENTS: "I was really happy how we responded in game two after I thought we played with lack luster energy and a lack of focus to start in game one," said head coach Becky Hilgert who picked up career wins #249 and #250 as Calvin head softball coach on Saturday. "Offensively, in game two we were more productive moving runners and had some nice solid line drive hits."
 
UP NEXT: The Knights will be back in action on Monday, April 20th when they welcome the Polar Bears of Ohio Northern to campus for a non-conference double header. Game one will begin at 3 PM with game two following shortly after at 5 PM.