ANGOLA, Mich. - Today the Calvin softball team competed in the third day of the MIAA Tournament presented by Collegiate Credit Union. After defeating Trine in the first game of the day the Thunder bounced back in game two as it claimed its fourth consecutive MIAA Tournament title.
GAME ONE
CALVIN 9, TRINE 1
After a tough loss to host Trine University yesterday the Knights looked to redeem themselves as the Thunder once again stood in their way. In today's game Calvin got things rolling early when freshman
Bella Duimstra (Jenison, Mich./Unity Christian) beat out an infield single before a sacrifice bunt from
Aubrey Herder (Kalamazoo, Mich./Kalamazoo Christian) moved her into scoring position. This brought up senior
Carly Dole (Mt. Pleasant, Mich./Mt. Pleasant) who singled through the right side to score Duimstra and just like that the Knights had taken the 1-0 lead.
However, things didn't stop their in the first as
Natalie Bush (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) forced a walk and freshman
Kendall Jordan (Fishers, Ind./Fishers) was hit by a pitch to load the bases for the Knights. Up next, senior
Tory Decker (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) took advantage of the opportunity as she notched an RBI single before junior
Emily Sweetland (Ann Arbor, Mich./Saline) followed with a two RBI single of her own to stretch the score to 4-0.
The Knights tacked on another run in the top of the second thanks to a single from Bush while Trine finally got on the board in the bottom of the inning with a solo home run. The third inning passed scoreless for both squads before Bush recorded her second RBI of the day in the top of the fourth to score Duimstra and make the score 6-1 Calvin.
In the fifth inning, the Knights continued their onslaught of scoring when they took advantage of some Thunder defensive errors and Decker crossed the plate for the first time today. Calvin ended the game two batters later when freshman
Audrey Ford (Kalamazoo, Mich./Mattawan) chipped in a two RBI single to give the Knights the 9-1 victory after just five innings.
Ford, Bush, and Sweetland each finished the game with two RBIs while senior pitcher
Emma Ludema (Martin, Mich./Wayland) went all five innings in the circle where she notched two strikeouts and only gave up four hits.
GAME TWO
TRINE 7, Calvin 5
With the tournament having a double-elimination format, the teams geared up to face each other for the third time in two days, this time with the MIAA Tournament Championship on the line. Looking to carry the momentum from the first game into game two the Knights once again started on a high note when Bush hit a two-run home run in the top of the first inning.
Trine bit back in the top of the fourth inning when it strung together enough hits to score two runs of its own and suddenly the game was all tied up. In the fifth inning, the Thunder found their groove as they scored five runs to take the 7-2 lead.
Now, with their back against the wall, Herder led off the bottom of the seventh inning with an infield single to give the Knights a base runner. A sacrifice bunt from Duimstra and a single from Ford put runners on the corners with no outs. The first run of the inning crossed the plate on the next play when Dole hit an infield single to cut the Thunder lead to four. A defensive error from Trine gave the Knights another base runner before a single to right field from Jordan scored Bush and Dole to make the score 7-5. However, unfortunately for the Knights, that is as close as they would get as the Thunder defense tightened up and retired the sign to claim the MIAA Tournament title.
Bush finished the game with a team high two RBI, capping off an outstanding tournament showing where she went 8-13 at the plate with ten RBIs and four home runs. Senior
Brooke Hunderman (Grand Rapids, Mich./Calvin Christian) started the game in the circle where she went five innings with three recorded strikeouts. Ludema also saw some time in the circle when she pitched the final two innings.
COACHES COMMENTS: "I couldn't be prouder of the fight and grit our team showed today," said head coach
Becky Hilgert. "These past three days were a grind but so proud how we kept competing through and through. Our offense has really come together the last few weeks and as a group we are playing well at the right time of the year. We'll have to wait a few days for other games around the country to be played but we feel good about the opportunity to continue our season in the NCAA Tournament."
GAME NOTES: At 30-13 overall, Calvin has reached the 30-win plateau for the second time in three years and for the fourth time under current head coach
Becky Hilgert.
UP NEXT: Calvin will await to see if it is one of the twenty teams to make the at-large cutline for the NCAA III Tournament. The cutline will be announced Sunday night with brackets and pairings to be released Monday afternoon.
