ALBION, Mich. - Today the Calvin softball team kicked off its MIAA conference schedule where it split with the Brits of Albion College. After today the Knights move to a 13-9 overall record and a 1-1 MIAA record.
 
GAME ONE
CALVIN 1, ALBION 2
 
In the first game of the day the Knights got things rolling early when freshman Bella Duimstra (Jenison, Mich./Unity Christian) beat out a bunt to give Calvin a baserunner in the top of the first inning. She advanced to third base thanks to a double from senior Carly Dole (Mt. Pleasant, Mich./Mt. Pleasant) before crossing the plate on an RBI ground ball from junior Natalie Bush (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian).
 
Unfortunately, the 1-0 lead didn't last long as the Brits bit back in the bottom of the third inning when they tied things up with a solo home run to left field. After that scoring opportunities were hard to come by for both teams. In the circle for the Knights, senior Brooke Hunderman (Grand Rapids, Mich./Calvin Christian) worked to keep the Albion hitters off balance and keep the Brits off the base path. 
 
It wasn't until the bottom of the sixth inning when the Brits finally broke through the Knights defense and used a sacrifice fly to push a run across the plate and take a 2-1 lead. Now, with their backs against the wall, Calvin desperately needed to find a spark of offense in the top of the seventh inning. However, the Albion defense prevailed and retired the Knights in order as Calvin fell 1-2.
 
Duimstra and Dole each finished the game with two hits apiece while Hunderman recorded a career high fifteen strikeouts and only gave up three hits.
 
GAME TWO
CALVIN 8, ALBION 1
 
Looking to bounce back, Calvin once again got things rolling early as Duimstra singled to kick off the bottom of the first inning. Dole notched her second double of the day to move Duimstra into scoring position before a single from Bush gave Calvin the 1-0 lead. Two batters later, Addie Edwards (Midland, Mich./Midland) sent a sacrifice fly to left field to score Dole and boost the Knights lead to 2-0.
 
Calvin added to their total in the second inning when junior Aubrey Herder (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Christian) took advantage of an Albion fielding error and stole home to put the Knights up 3-0. The Brits responded with a run of their own in the top of the third inning, but Calvin punched right back in the bottom of the inning when freshman Kendall Jordan (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) singled through the left side to score Dole.
 
The Knights kept things rolling in the fifth inning when a double from senior Tory Decker (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) scored sophomore pinch runner Reese Veltman (Wayland, Mich./Wayland). Back-to-back RBIs from junior Mya Brickley (Battle Creek, Mich./Delton Kellogg) and Herder pushed two more runs across the plate to stretch Calvin's lead to 7-1.
 
Jordan recorded her second RBI of the game in the sixth inning to give Calvin one more insurance run as the Knights went on to pick up the 8-1 victory over Albion. Dole, Jordan, Decker and Herder all recorded two hits while Dole also recorded two runs.
 
Senior Emma Ludema (Martin, Mich./Wayland) had pitching duties in game two where she went all seven innings and recorded four strikeouts.
 
COACHES COMMENTS:
 
UP NEXT: The Knights will be back in action on Tuesday, April 7th when they welcome the Belles of Saint Mary's College for a MIAA doubleheader. Game one will start at 3 PM with game two following shortly after at 5 PM.