May 9, 2001
BASEBALL
Calvin's season came to a close Wednesday afternoon as the Knights split a
doubleheader at Hope, winning the opener 16-6 before falling in the nightcap
5-3. The split allowed Hope to clinch a share of the MIAA title and also lock
up the MIAA's automatic bid to the NCAA III Tournament by gaining the
tie-breaker advantage on head-to-head competition.
In the opener of the three-game series between the Knights and Flying Dutchmen,
the two teams combined for 30 hits and six homeruns with Hope holding on a for a
10-7 victory.
The offensive fireworks continued in the opening game of Wednesday's
doubleheader as the Knights pounded out 14 hits and scored a season-high 16 runs
in gaining the five-inning mercy-rule win.
Calvin took an early lead with two runs in the bottom of the first with senior
Jason TeBos (Calvin Christian) lacing a two-run RBI single up the middle to put
the Knights on top 2-0. Hope came back with five runs in the top of the second
however as the Flying Dutchmen used four hits and a walk to take a 5-2 lead.
Calvin came up with a run in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI single by
senior Ross Hunderman (Holland Christian) and then regained the lead in the
third, scoring five runs on the strength of three hits and three errors to go up
8-5. Freshman Aaron Griffith (Manhattan, KS) provided the key blow in the
inning as he cleared the bases with a bases-loaded double.
Calvin added two more runs in the fourth with TeBos blasting a solo homerun to
centerfield and junior Mark Jansen (Denver, CO) also collecting an RBI single in
the inning.
Leading 10-6, Calvin then put the game away with six runs in the bottom of the
fifth, using four hits, two walks and an error to build a game-ending 10-run
margin. TeBos went 3-for-3 with four RBIs in the victory while senior Dirk
Eppinga (Walnut Creek, CA), Jansen and junior Matt DeHoek also collected two
hits apiece.
Senior Aaron Wiers (Chicago, IL) went the distance to pick up the complete-game
pitching victory to finish the year 6-2. Wiers struck out four batters in the
victory to boost his MIAA career strikeout total to 112, placing him third
all-time on the MIAA career strikeout list.
In game two, Calvin fell behind early and could never catch up as Hope held off
the Knights for the win. Calvin outhit Hope 7-6 in defeat but stranded 11
base-runners.
Hope broke a scoreless tie with four runs in the bottom of the third, two of
which were unearned. Calvin came back with two runs in the top of the fourth,
using three hits and one error to cut the Hope lead in half. Senior Zac Jackson
(Kinsman, OH) provided an RBI single with two outs to help spark the Calvin
inning.
In the top of the fifth, Calvin loaded the bases with two outs but the threat
died on a pop-out to the catcher. Hope then added an insurance run in the bottom
of the fifth to take a 5-2 lead.
Calvin rallied again in the seventh, pushing across a run on another RBI single
by Jackson but the Knights could do no further damage as the threat ended on a
hard-smash to third by sophomore Arie Eppinga (Walnut Creek, CA) that was
fielded cleanly and turned into a game-ending force-out at third.
Senior Ryan Wolthuis (South Christian) took the loss in his final collegiate
performance to close out the year 3-4 on the year. Senior Adam Marcionetti (Oak
Park, IL) also saw time in relief as did junior Matt Schmitz (Ionia).
With the split, Calvin finishes 21-16 overall and 12-16 in the MIAA. It marks
the third time in the last six years that the Knights have recorded 20 victories
or more in a season.
-end-
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