SPORTS REPORT FOR TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 2002
SOFTBALL
In a doubleheader filled with opportunities, Calvin came up empty twice, losing
a pair of one-run games at Albion Tuesday afternoon. In the opener, Calvin
outhit Albion 6-4 and had the opportunity to capitalize on three Albion errors
but the final scoreboard said Albion 2, Calvin 1. In game two, Calvin had eight
hits and the benefit of three more Albion errors but again, fell short a run,
this time by a 5-4 count.
The pair of defeats extended Calvin's losing skid to four games and placed
the Knights in jeopardy of missing the MIAA Tournament. With its final
conference doubleheader on tap for Wednesday at 3:30 pm against St. Mary's,
Calvin is locked in a tie for fourth place with Adrian in the league standings
at 5-7. St. Mary's and Kalamazoo are tied for fifth in the league standings
with 3-7 league marks. The top four teams in the final regular season standings
will advance to the MIAA Tournament May 2 & 3.
In Tuesday's opener, Albion jumped out to a 1-0 lead with an unearned run in
the bottom of the second, using a two-out single and a Calvin error to score.
The Knights knotted the score at one on a solo home run to centerfield by
freshman Laurel Sands (Rockford) in the fourth. In the sixth, Calvin loaded the
bases with one out but missed a chance to score on a sacrifice fly situation as
senior Susannah Knust (Grandville flew out to right field without a runner
advancing. The Calvin threat was then extinguished on a ground-out back to
Albion pitcher Michaela Adams.
In the bottom of the sixth, Albion grabbed a 2-1 lead on a one-out RBI single
from freshman Sarah Caskey that scored Michelle Wallace who had reached base on
a one-out single. In the seventh, Adams retired Calvin in order to collected
her 13th win of the year against just three losses.
The Albion victory spoiled another fine pitching performance by Calvin freshman
Rachelle Heyboer (Fremont) who scattered four Albion hits and struck out two
batters without a walk. Sands and sophomore Trisha Balkema (Highland, IN)
collected two hits apiece for the Knights in the loss.
In the nightcap, Albion put together a 5-1 lead through four-and-a-half innings
before Calvin rallied with three runs in the bottom of the fifth on a two-out
three-run homer to left by Sands. The roundtripper was the fourth of the spring
for the Calvin third baseman.
Trailing 5-4, Calvin received one-out singles from sophomore Rachel
Dyksterhouse (Kalamazoo Christian) and junior Becky Austen (Pembroke, ON) but
the Knights were unable to score as Dyksterhouse was thrown out at third base
and senior Lyndsay Heinkel (Milwaukee, WI) was subsequently retired on a
strikeout to end the threat.
In the seventh, Calvin placed two runners on base with one out but the threat
was ended out a fielder's choice and a fly-out.
Sophomore Keri Cole (Mason County Eastern) took the loss for Calvin to fall to
6-5 on the year as she struck out two and walked two in five innings of work.
Nicole Anderson (6-3) was the winner for Albion with Adams picking up the save
in relief. Calvin was led at the plate by Sands and Dyksterhouse who collected
two hits apiece.
MIAA SOFTBALL STANDINGS THROUGH 4-23 GAMES
Alma 10-0
Albion 9-3
Hope 7-3
Adrian 5-7
Calvin 5-7
Kalamazoo 3-7
St. Mary's 3-7
Olivet 2-10
BASEBALL
Calvin dropped an 8-1 decision to visiting Division II foe Saginaw Valley State
Tuesday afternoon to fall to 21-8 on the year. Calvin mustered just six hits
against the Saginaw Valley pitching staff while the Cardinals collected 12 hits
and capitalized on four Calvin errors.
Saginaw Valley State scored a pair of runs in the first and added two runs in
the fourth, seventh and eight inning to pull away to the win. Calvin's only
run came in the sixth as senior Mike Noorman (Covenant Christian) belted a
two-out triple that scored sophomore Aaron Griffith (Manhattan, KS) who had led
off the inning with a single.
Senior Matt Schmitz (Ionia) took the loss for Calvin, allowing eight hits in
seven innings of work. Schmitz matched a career strikeout-high in defeat,
whiffing 10 Saginaw Valley batters. Noorman was Calvin's only offensive
player with a multi-hit performance as he was 2-for-3 at the plate.
Calvin returns to action on Friday when it opens a three-game conference series
at Alma with a single nine-inning game scheduled to begin at 4:00 p.m..
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