GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Today the Calvin softball team played its final non-conference games of the season when its welcomed the Polar Bears of Ohio Northern for an afternoon double header.
 
GAME ONE
CALVIN 11, OHIO NORTHERN 0
 
The Knights wasted no time kicking off the afternoon as freshman duo Bella Duimstra (Jenison, Mich./Unity Christian) and Audrey Ford (Kalamazoo, Mich./Mattawan) both found a way on base to lead off the bottom of the first inning. On the next play, Ford distracted the Polar Bear defense long enough for Duimstra to steal home for the first run of the game. 
 
Calvin kept things rolling when Carly Dole (Mt. Pleasant, Mich./Mt. Pleasant) and Natalie Bush (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) loaded the bases for the Knights before a double from freshman Kendall Jordan (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) brought in two runs. Senior Tory Decker (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) stepped into the box and delivered a single back up the middle and just like that the Knights held a significant 5-0 lead.
 
Decker and sophomore Valeria Frias (Wyoming, Mich./Potters House) took advantage of a Polar Bears defensive error and tacked on two more runs before an RBI triple from Duimstra wrapped up Calvin's first inning score at 8-0.
 
The next three innings passed scoreless for both teams as senior Brooke Hunderman (Grand Rapids, Mich./Calvin Christian) controlled the circle for the Knights and kept the Ohio Northern players off the base path.
 
It wasn't until the bottom of the fourth inning when the Knights found their offensive spark again as Dole beat out a lead off infield single. Jordan followed up with a double to left field to score Dole before Decker traded places with Jordan when she notched a double of her own to make the score 10-0. Calvin scored their final run of the game when junior Mya Brickley (Battle Creek, Mich./Delton Kellogg) sent the ball back up the middle and allowed pinch runner sophomore Emily Cole (Canton, Mich./Canton) to cross the plate.
 
The Calvin defense took care of business in the top of the fifth inning and recorded three quick outs and walked away with the 11-0 victory. Hunderman went four innings for the Knights where she recorded three strikeouts and gave up three hits before being relieved by freshman Camila Rameriez-Quijada (South Bend, Ind./Mishawaka) in the top of the fifth.
 
GAME TWO 
CALVIN, OHIO NORTHERN
 
Calvin carried its momentum from game one into game two when Ford singled in the bottom of the first inning to give the Knights a base runner. A stolen base and passed ball moved her to third while Dole forced a walk to put runners on the corners. On the next play, a double steal confused the Polar Bear defense enough for Ford to cross the plate for the first run of the game before a double from Jordan scored Dole and gave Calvin the 2-0 lead.
 
Ohio Northern strung together enough hits to push a run of their own across the plate in the top fourth and cut the Knights lead down to just one. However, Decker responded quickly when she led off the bottom of the inning with a triple to left center. Up next, junior Emily Sweetland (Ann Arbor, Mich./Saline) took advantage of the scoring opportunity and sent a single up the middle to score Decker and stretch the Knights lead to 4-1.
 
The Polar Bears tacked on one more run in the bottom of the fifth before Calvin answered with three of their own thanks to RBIs from freshman Analy Guth (Southgate, Mich./Trenton) and junior Aubrey Herder (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Christian). The Knights tacked on one more insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning when Bush recorded her first RBI of the day as Calvin went on to win 7-2.
 
Senior Emma Ludema (Martin, Mich./Wayland) started in the circle for the Knights and was credited with the win after going 4.2 innings and recording two strikeouts. Sophomore Cailin Knoop (Reed City, Mich./Big Rapids) recorded a save while freshman Ally Coffey (Zilwaukee, Mich./Michigan Lutheran Seminary) also saw some time in the circle when she entered in the top of the seventh.
 
COACHES COMMENTS: "I certainly was pleased how we started out in game one," said head coach Becky Hilgert. "It certainly takes the pressure off our pitchers and our defense when we can play with a lead early. Again in game two we scored early and it was nice to extend it later in the game. We played error free and our pitching staff was efficient in their opportunities."
 
UP NEXT: The Knights will be back in action on Thursday, April 23rd when they travel to take on the Bulldogs of Adrian College at 3 PM and 5 PM.