From: Jeff Febus (jfebus@calvin.edu)
Date: Fri May 02 2003 - 19:54:55 EDT
CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR MAY 2, 2003
SOFTBALL
ALMA - Calvin saw its eight-game win streak snapped and its season come to a
close as the Knights were eliminated from the MIAA Tournament with a pair of
extra-inning defeats. Seeded second, Calvin opened the tournament with a 2-0
loss in eight innings to third-seeded Albion, snapping Calvin's eight-game win
streak. The Knights were then eliminated by Olivet with a 2-1 loss in nine
innings in a loser's bracket contest. Calvin closes out its season with a
24-13 overall record, its best mark since the 1997 season when the Knights
finished 27-13.
GAME 1 (Albion 2, Calvin 0)
A costly throwing error in the top of the eighth and meager hitting support
doomed the Knights in the opening game of the 2003 MIAA Tournament.
Calvin sophomore Rachelle Heyboer (Fremont HS) tossed seven innings of shutout
ball but it was not enough as the Knights mounted only five hits against Albion
righthander Michaela Adams who tossed her second shutout of the year against
Calvin. Adams tossed a four-hit, 1-0 shutout gem in a game played at Calvin
April 12.
Calvin placed a runner in scoring position just once against Adams while the
Britons (20-20) threatened a handful of times in the first seven innings.
Albion had a potential go-ahead run cut down at the plate in the fifth as
senior Becky Austen (Pembroke, ON) rifled a throw home to senior catcher Emily
Mejeur (Kalamazoo Christian HS) to catch Albion's Rebekah Wild who was
attempting to score from first base on a double by Abby Beth Striffler. Wild
was initially ruled safe at the plate but then ruled out after a conference by
the umpiring crew.
In the top of the eighth, Heyboer retired the first two batters in order but
Striffler then reached base on a two-out throwing error. The error proved to
be pivotal as Abby Wilhelmi followed with a double into the right-centerfield
gap to plate Striffler. Sarah Caskey then drove home Wilhelmi with an
insurance run on an RBI single up the middle.
In the bottom of the inning, Calvin mounted its best scoring threat as
sophomore Sarah Piersma (Grand Rapids Christian HS) and Austen reached base on
singles. Adams closed out the Calvin threat with a game-ending strikeout.
Albion collected eight hits with Steffe and Striffler picking up two hits
apiece. Junior Rachel Dyksterhouse (Kalamazoo Christian HS) had two of
Calvin's five hits.
Heyboer struck out four and walked just one in falling to 11-4 on the year
while Adams struck out six Calvin batters and walked one to improve to 9-8 on
the year.
GAME 2
A two-out pinch-hit RBI double by senior Sandy VanLeeuwen (Unity Christian HS)
in the bottom of the seventh allowed Calvin to tie the game 1-1 and send it
into extra innings.
Fourth-seeded Olivet (18-18) had taken a 1-0 lead with an unearned run in the
bottom of the third. Neither team would score until the top of the seventh
when Calvin sophomore Lea Bareman (Unity Christian HS) was hit by a pitch with
two outs. VanLeeuwen was then inserted into the game in a pinch-hitting role
and the senior responded with a double to right-center that scored Bareman.
Calvin placed its first two runners on base in the top of the eighth but
failed to score as Olivet pitcher Erica Anderson was able to work her way out
of a jam by coaxing the next two Calvin batters to ground out and the third
batter to fly out to centerfield.
Olivet then placed two runners on base in the bottom half of the eighth but an
unassisted double play turned by Calvin freshman Jeanne Cole (Mason County
Eastern HS) ended the Comet threat.
In the bottom of the ninth, Olivet junior Theresa Flowers led off with a
single and moved to second on a sacrifice bunt. With two outs, senior Jeanna
Turchek delivered a bloop single to centerfield that scored Flowers with the
winning run.
Heyboer (11-5) took the loss in relief of starter Kara VanKooten (Anchorage,
AK). VanKooten went the first 5.1 innings, scattering four hits, striking out
one and walking none. Calvin outhit the Comets 8-7 but also stranded eight
base runners. Jeanne Cole and junior Keri Cole (Mason County Eastern HS) led
the Knights in defeat with two hits apiece.
BASEBALL
Calvin's losing skid was extended to 13 games as the Knights dropped a 15-2
decision to visiting Adrian Friday afternoon in a game shortened to seven
innings because of the mercy rule.
A five-run second inning by Adrian broke the game open as the Bulldogs (18-16
overall, 8-5 MIAA) chased Calvin freshman starter Ben Buikema (Lakewood-Lake
Odessa HS) in building a 7-0 lead. Calvin (2-11 MIAA) scored a run in the
bottom of the second on an RBI groundout by freshman Kyle Hollemans (East
Kentwood HS).
After scoring another run in the third, Adrian exploded for six more runs in
the fifth to put the game out of reach. Calvin scored a run in the seventh on
an RBI groundout by senior Tim Voss (Tinley Park, IL).
Buikema took the loss to fall to 1-6 on the year while freshmen Kory
Ciecielski (Petoskey HS) and Chris Hinkley (Monmouth, ME) also saw time along
with junior Dean Thompson (Ogemaw Heights HS).
Adrian collected 13 hits in the win with sophomore Tim Gates and junior Kirk
Nichols belting home runs. Calvin picked up five hits in defeat and also
committed five errors. Of the 15 runs scored by the Bulldogs, seven were
earned. Freshman Tyler VanEps (Denver, CO) picked up one of Calvin's five
hits. VanEps has hit safely in nine of Calvin's last ten games.
Calvin resumes its series with Adrian on Saturday with a doubleheader (two
seven-inning games) scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.
A RealAudio broadcast of the twinbill will be available at:
www.Calvin.edu/sports
MIAA BASEBALL STANDINGS THROUGH 5-2 GAMES
Hope 14-1
Olivet 11-4
Adrian 8-5
Alma 7-6
Albion 7-11
Calvin 2-11
Kalamazoo 1-12
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.4 : Fri May 02 2003 - 19:55:35 EDT