GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Today the Calvin softball team picked up two big wins over the Belles of Saint Mary's to improve to an overall 15-9 record while also moving to 2-1 in conference play.
 
GAME ONE
CALVIN 10, SAINT MARY'S 2
 
In the first game of the day, it was the Belles who jumped in front early as they pushed a run across the plate in the top of the first inning. In the bottom of the second inning freshman Kendall Jordan (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) and senior Tory Decker (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) gave the Knights their first base runners of the game when they forced back-to-back walks. 
 
Up next, junior second baseman Emily Sweetland (Ann Arbor, Mich./Saline) stepped into the batter's box and delivered a double to left center to bring home Jordan and tie the score at 1-1. With two runners still on base, junior Aubrey Herder (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Christian) cashed in on the opportunity when she sent a rocket down the left field line and gave the Knights a 3-1 lead.
 
Saint Mary's bit back with a run of their own in the top of the third inning to cut the Calvin lead to just one run. However, Herder recorded her third RBI of the day in the bottom of the fourth inning before taking advantage of a Belles fielding error later in the inning to once again stretch the Knights lead to 5-2.
 
Things were scoreless for both teams until the bottom of the sixth inning where Calvin got things rolling again when sophomore Valeria Frias (Wyoming, Mich./Potters House) took first after being hit by a pitch. Herder followed that up with a single to left center before a double steal put both runners in scoring position. Pinch hitter Mya Brickley (Battle Creek, Mich./Delton Kellogg) forced a walk to load the bases with brought up freshman Audrey Ford (Kalamazoo, Mich./Mattawan) who recorded an RBI single through the right side.
 
Up next, senior Carly Dole (Mt. Pleasant, Mich./Mt. Pleasant) ended the game with a bang when she launched a three-run home run over the right field fence to mercy the Belles 10-2 after six innings. With that hit Dole took over the top spot as the Knights all time total base leader.
 
In the circle, senior Brooke Hunderman (Grand Rapids, Mich./Calvin Christian) went all six innings where she recorded six strikeouts while giving up six hits.
 
GAME TWO
CALVIN 3, SAINT MARY'S 1
 
The second game of the day was a lower scoring affair as both offenses struggled to get rolling. In the circle, senior Emma Ludema (Martin, Mich./Wayland) worked to keep the Belles off balance while the rest of the Calvin defense made plays behind her.
 
It wasn't until the bottom of the fifth inning when Saint Mary's finally broke through and scored the first run of the back. However, their lead didn't last long as a leadoff double from junior Natalie Bush (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) in the top of the sixth gave the Knights some momentum. Sophomore Reese Veltman (Wayland, Mich./Wayland) entered the game as a pinch runner and was brought home two batters later thanks to an RBI from Decker to tie the score at 1-1.
 
In the top of the seventh inning, Calvin once again created an opportunity when Herder kicked things off with a single to left field. Back-to-back walks from Duimstra and Ford loaded the bases for Dole notched an RBI off a fielder choice play to the Saint Mary's shortstop. Calvin added one more run to their total off a sacrifice fly from Bush to stretch their lead to 3-1 heading into the bottom of the final inning.
 
Sophomore Cailin Knoop (Reed City, Mich./Big Rapids), who had entered the game in the fifth inning, now commanded the circle for the Knights as they quickly took care of the Belles in the bottom of the seventh and walked away with the 3-1 win.
 
Ludema finished her outing with two strikeouts while Knoop was credited with the win.
 
COACHES COMMENTS: "Great to pick up two wins at home in conference play," said head coach Becky Hilgert. "I thought offensively we really tried to implement some of the strategies we've been working on in practice the last two days as far as knowing the objective and trying to execute what the team needs at that moment. Defensively we played well behind our pitchers, and they battled and worked out of a few innings with runners on base."
 
UP NEXT: The Knights will be back in action on Saturday, April 11th when they travel to Kalamazoo to take on the Hornets at 1PM and 5PM.