REPORT FOR MARCH 31, 2001
BASEBALL
A pair of strong pitching efforts fueled Calvin to a doubleheader sweep of
Olivet Saturday afternoon, allowing the Knights to move into sole possession of
first place in the MIAA standings on the first weekend of conference play.
Calvin opened Saturday's twinbill with a 1-0 victory in a pitching duel between
Calvin senior Aaron Wiers (Chicago, IL) and Olivet junior Aaron Marcotte. The
Knights then took game two 4-1 behind a strong pitching performance from senior
Ryan Wolthuis (South Christian) and junior Matt Schmitz (Ionia) and a
game-winning three-run homer from junior second baseman Mark Jansen (Denver, CO)
in the sixth.
The pair of wins allowed the Knights to sweep the three-game homestand from the
Comets after opening the series with a 4-1 win Friday afternoon. Over the
course of the three-game series, the Calvin pitching staff allowed just nine
hits and one earned run.
In Saturday's opener, Wiers helped his own cause in an unlikely fashion in the
top of the first. Leading off first base with senior Jason TeBos (Calvin
Christian) on third with two outs, Wiers was picked off first. Wiers was able
to avoid the tag initially, forcing a run-down play that allowed TeBos to score
from third before Wiers was tagged with the final out of the inning.
Wiers (2-2) then made the lone run stand up as he allowed just four hits while
striking out eight batters to pick up the shutout win. Wiers was aided by a
pair of sparkling defensive plays. In the first inning, Jansen cut down an
Olivet runner at the plate on a double-steal attempt with junior catcher Ben
Dykhouse (Grand Rapids Christian) adeptly blocking the plate to apply the tag in
time. In the bottom of the seventh with one out and an Olivet runner on first
base, Calvin senior centerfielder Ross Hunderman (Holland Christian) was able to
snare a sinking line drive with a diving catch to prevent what could have been
the tying run. Wiers then struck out the ensuing batter to close out the game.
In game two, Wolthuis was relieved with two outs in the top of the sixth by
Schmitz with the score tied 1-1 and runners on first and third. Schmitz was
able to end the inning on a force-out at second base. The Knights (7-6 overall,
3-0 MIAA) then broke loose in the bottom half of the inning as junior Andrew
Drake (Marion, OH) singled and moved to third on a double by Dykhouse. Jansen
then belted his second roundtripper of the spring, sending the shot well beyond
the right-field wall to give the Knights a three-run cushion.
Schmitz (1-0) then retired the Olivet lineup in order in the top of the seventh
to pick up his first victory of the year. Calvin finished the game with 10 hits
with Dykhouse going 3-for-3 and Wiers 2-for-3.
The Knights return to action Wednesday when they host Orchard Lake St. Mary's at
3:00 pm in a non-conference game at Calvin Field.
MIAA BASEBALL STANDINGS THROUGH 3-31 GAMES
Calvin 3-0
Adrian 2-1
Alma 2-1
Albion 1-2
Kalamazoo 1-2
Hope 0-0
Olivet 0-3
SOFTBALL
Calvin opened its MIAA campaign with pair of defeats to three-time defending
league champion Alma, falling 4-1 and 11-1 to the Scots in a doubleheader
Saturday at Calvin Field. The Calvin bats were silenced by the Alma pitching
staff as the Knights managed just four hits in the two-game set.
In the opener, Calvin jumped on the board first, scoring a run in the bottom on
the first on a two-out RBI double by senior Erin Dyksterhouse (Kalamazoo
Christian) that brought home junior Susannah Knust (Grandville) from second
base. Alma retaliated with two runs on three hits in the third and added two
more in the fourth on two hits and a Calvin error.
Alma freshman pitcher Jaime Stahl then allowed just one hit over the final four
innings to help the eighth-ranked Scots (18-7 overall, 2-0 MIAA) preserve the
win. Freshman Keri Cole (Mason County Eastern) took the loss for the Knights to
fall to 4-2 on the year.
In the nightcap, Alma scored seven runs in the first inning on the strength of
six hits and two Calvin errors. The Knights (6-7 overall, 0-2 MIAA) scored their
lone run in the second on a solo homer by senior Rhonda Volkers (Holland
Christian). The solo shot would prove to be the only hit of the game for Calvin
as Alma freshman Paula Stanford held the Knights hitless the rest of the way
while the Scots scored three more times in the bottom of the third and added
another run in the fourth. Junior Jen Bowen (Troy) took the loss for Calvin to
fall to 1-2 on the year.
Calvin returns to action Monday when it hosts Division II power Grand Valley
State in a 3:30 pm doubleheader.
MEN'S TENNIS
Calvin's losing streak continued as the Knights suffered an 8-1 loss at Alma
Saturday to fall to 1-10 overall and to 0-2 in the MIAA. Calvin will host Grand
Rapids Community College Monday at 3:00 pm.
Alma 8, Calvin 1
SINGLES--1. Kevney Dugan (A) d. Ben Knoester 6-0, 6-2; 2. Matt Krieg (A) d. Pat
Napurski 6-0, 1-0 (withdrew); 3. Matt Piper (A) d. Nate Kraai 6-4, 6-2; 4. John
Boyer (A) d. Scott Jongekrigj 6-7, 7-5, 7-6; 5. Mark O'Bryan (A) d. Andrew Brand
7-5, 1-6, 6-3; 6. Denis Busque (A) d. Rob Stine 6-0, 6-0.
DOUBLES--1. Dugan/Krieg (A) d. Knoester/Mark Brieve 6-0, 6-2; 2.
Boyer/O'Bryan (A) d. Napurski/Jongekrigj 6-0, 2-6, 6-4; 3. Piper/Busque (A)
d.Kraai/Brand 6-4, 6-2.
WOMEN'S TENNIS
Calvin got back on the winning track with a 9-0 win over Alma at home Saturday
afternoon. The win improved Calvin's overall record to 5-3 and its MIAA mark to
1-1. The Knights travel to Kalamazoo Wednesday for a 3:00 pm conference match.
Calvin 9, Alma 0
SINGLES--1. Kait Disselkoen (C) d. Sara Pippas 6-1, 6-2; 2. Sally Skodinski (C)
d. Emily Brookhaus 6-3, 6-2; 3. Jessica Bosma (C) d. Allison McGwire 6-1, 6-0;
4. Anne Koldenhoven (C) d. Melissa Bobier 6-0, 6-3; 5. Allison VerMeer (C) d.
Sara Keller 6-1, 6-3; 6. Trisha Plaisier (C) d. Layton Thomas 6-2, 6-0.
DOUBLES--1. Disselkoen/Skodinski (C) d. Brookhaus/McGwire 6-3, 6-1; 2.
Bosma/Koldenhoven (C) d. Pippas/Bobier 6-3, 6-2; 3. VerMeer/Melissa DeWall (C)
d. Keller/Thomas 6-4, 6-1.
MEN'S AND WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD
Both Calvin track and field teams came up with a number of standout performances
at the (unscored) Aquinas Invitational Saturday afternoon at Houseman Field.
In the women's competition, Calvin took first place in 12 of a possible 18
events with seniors Megan Pierce (Fort Wayne, IN) and Lindsay Mulder (Calvin
Christian) leading the charge. Mulder took first place in the 100 meters with a
time of 12.57 and then took second in the 200 meters with a career-best and NCAA
III provisional qualifying time of 25.22. Mulder finished behind Pierce in the
200 as Pierce matched her school record in the event with an NCAA III automatic
qualifying time of 24.82. The two then hooked up with junior Rachel Veltkamp
(Grand Rapids Christian) and freshman Dana Haan (Lynden, WA) to take first place
in the 4 x 100 meter relay with a strong NCAA III provisional qualifying time of
48.19. The time is the second-fastest in Calvin women's track and field
history. In addition, Calvin's 4 x 400 meter relay team of Pierce, Mulder,
junior Mindy Worst (Grand Rapids Christian) and senior Sara Veltkamp (Grand
Rapids Christian) took first place with a time of 3:54.86.
Freshman Leah Cornell (Penfield, NY) also had a big afternoon for the Knights,
winning the 900 meters (2:18.87) and 1,500 meters (4:59.49). Other winners for
the Calvin women included sophomore Annie VanderLaan (Grand Rapids Christian) in
the 100 meter hurdles (15.41); sophomore Molly Delcamp (Columbus, OH) in the 400
meter hurdles (1:06.33); Rachel Veltkamp in the triple jump (35-4); sophomore
Anna VanDrie (Grand Rapids Christian) in the pole vault (10-6, NCAA III
provisional mark); senior Andrea Rip (Bothell, WA) in the javelin (124-0) and
junior Beth VanderHeide (McBain) in the discus (126-10). VanderHeide was part
of a 1-3-5 Calvin finish in the discus as freshman Katie Corner (Grand Rapids
Catholic Central) was third with a throw of 126-1 and freshman Jamie Febo
(Sparta) fifth with a throw of 123-4. Corner's throw of 126-10 is the top throw
by a freshman in Calvin women's track and field history. Delcamp's time in the
400 meter hurdles was a career-best and just two seconds off an NCAA III
provisional qualifying time. Delcamp is competing in the 400 meter hurdles for
the first time this year. Other notable performances included senior Mae Baber
(Brandon, WI) who finished second in the triple jump (33-11) and freshman
Stephanie Holwerda (Unity Christian) who took second in the high jump (5-2).
In the men's competition, Calvin took first place in four events with senior
Paul Petersen (Crawfordsville, IN) leading the way with a first place and NCAA
III provisional qualifying time of 14:52.68 in the 5,000 meter run. Senior Dan
Hoekstra (Kalamazoo Christian) took second with an NCAA III provisional
qualifying time of 14:56.19 while junior Justin Momany-Pfruender (Midland) took
third (15:00).
Other individual winners for Calvin included senior Phil Sikkenga (Wheaton, IL)
in the 110 high hurdles (14.95); senior Derek Kleinheksel (Hamilton) in the high
jump (6-7) and senior Mark DeWeerd (Unity Christian) in the pole vault (15-0).
Sikkenga also took second in the 200 meters with a time of 21.96. Senior Kevin
VerBeek (Lansing, IL) also took second in the 1,500 meters (4:00.58) with junior
Peter Armstrong (Lacey, WA) taking third (4:01.48). In addition, sophomore
Steve Abbring (Highland, IN) took second in the 400 meters with a career-best
time of 49.33; freshman Jeremy Knoester (Grand Rapids Christian) took second in
the triple jump with a career-best mark of 40-8 and junior Ryan Moore
(Pittsburg, PA) took third in the discus with a career-best throw of 149-9.
Both Calvin teams will now prepare for the Laker Classic at Grand Valley State
University next Saturday.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Calvin sophomore Jeremy Veenstra continues to reap post-season honors as the
sophomore from Kalamazoo has been named a first team All-American by the
Basketball Times and a second team All-American by DIII News. Earlier this
month, Veenstra was named a fourth team All-American by D3hoops.com and a first
team Great Lakes Region All-District selection by the National Association of
Basketball Coaches (NABC).
Veenstra is the fourth Calvin player in the last 10 years to receive All-America
accolades from the Basketball Times as Steve Honderd received All-America honors
from the prestigious publication in 1992 and 1993 while Chris Knoester was so
honored in 1994. A year ago, Calvin's Aaron Winkle was also named a Basketball
Times All-American.
Veenstra was joined on the Basketball Times All-America first team by Derrick
Reich of Chicago, Horace Jenkins of William Paterson, Dave Januzzi of Wilkes and
Antoine Sinclair of Christopher Newport.
Veenstra averaged 18.6 points and 7.9 rebounds a game this year in leading
Calvin to its third straight MIAA title and second straight NCAA III Tournament
berth. Calvin finished the year with a 23-7 record including a 10-2 conference
mark.
-end-
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