CSR (Baseball Drops Two Games)

CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR MARCH 26, 2004

BASEBALL

FORT MYERS, FL * It was a tough day for the Calvin baseball team as it dropped two games. Calvin lost to Bethel College 10-5 in the morning, and lost to Otterbein College 3-1 in the afternoon game. The losses drop the Knights to 3-6 overall on the season.

In the first game, Calvin had no answer to the strong hitting by Bethel. Sophomore Jory Trim (Grand Rapids/Creston) gave up six runs in four innings while taking the loss. The Knights were able to come up with five runs in the final two innings, but it was too little and too late. Senior Aaron Griffith (Manhattan, KS) had a two-run single and junior Andy Bunting (Cedar/Glen Lake) a sacrifice fly in Calvin's sixth inning. Sophomore Kyle Hollemans (Kentwood/East Kentwood) knocked in two more runs in the seventh with a double to account for the rest of Calvin's runs.

The second game was a low scoring affair. Sophomore Andy Draayer (Denver, CO) started and pitched the entire game, allowing only two earned runs on seven hits. Draayer did not get much support from the offense however, as two Otterbein pitchers were able to restrain the Knights hitters. Griffith scored Calvin's lone run on a double-play in the fourth inning.

The Knights have one more game down in Florida as they meet Mt. Vernon Nazarene tomorrow morning at 9:00 AM.

SOFTBALL * Special Reporting by Calvin Sports Information Student Assistant Ross Weener '04

KISSIMEE, FL * The 2004 Calvin softball Spring Break trip to Kissimmee, Florida could be summed up as a week of streaks. The Knights who began 0-6 finished the week unbeaten in their last four games, garnering wins over DePauw (6-5) and Mount Vernon Nazarene (6-4) on Friday.

The Knights wasted little time jumping in front early as base hits by senior Rachel Dyksterhouse (Kalamazoo Christian) and freshman Andrea Wagner (Unity Christian) plated two runners in the bottom of the second inning. DePauw answered back in the top of the third inning scoring on a two-run single to knot the score at two. The Knights responded to the tie by tacking on three runs in the bottom of the third inning using a Dyksterhouse RBI single and a Kristen Kalb (Stow, OH/Munroe Falls) two-run double to extend the lead to 5-2.

The score would stay that way until the top of the sixth inning where starting pitcher Rachelle Heyboer (Fremont) began to struggle. In the sixth Heyboer gave up a 2 RBI single and n 1 RBI single as well as hitting two batter. Junior Kara Van Kooten (Anchorage, AK/Grace Christian) entered the game with the score tied at 5-5 and struck out the two batters she faced to end the inning.

In the bottom of the sixth the Knights showed the poise and resilience that had been missing all week. They strung together a walk and three singles to score the go-ahead run on a Keri Cole (Mason County Eastern) base hit. Van Kooten came in and shut down the side giving up a lead-off walk and then notching two strikeouts and getting the last batter to pop up. She tallied the win, her second of the year, by striking out four of the six batters she faced.

Three Knights notched two hits apiece as Calvin garnered a season-high ten hits including: Lea Bareman (Unity Christian), Laurel Sands (Rockford), and Dyksterhouse. Dyksterhouse and Kalb also added two RBI's.

In game two the Knights did the majority of their damage in the third inning while receiving another strong pitching effort from freshman Ruth Anna Spooner (Twin Falls, ID/Idaho School for the Deaf). Spooner, in her third collegiate start, pitched seven innings and gave up eight hits and three earned runs. She also struck out 11 batters and walked none. In her past 13.0 innings she has given up three earned runs while striking out 23 and walking none.

The Knights provided Spooner with all the offensive support she would need in the third inning. Sophomore Jeanne Cole (Mason County Eastern) led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second on an Angie Sietsema (Grandville) single. J. Cole scored as Bareman roped a double to left-center and Sietsema advanced to third base. Sietsema came around to score on a K. Cole single while Bareman went to third and K. Cole advanced to second on the throw home. A Sands groundout moved up the base runners as Bareman scored and K. Cole went to third. Dyksterhouse was next up and continued the hit parade pulling a double to left field and scoring K. Cole. Dyksterhouse would eventually come around to score an unearned run as Kalb reach base on a fielding error by the shortstop.

Calvin finished its scoring for the afternoon by tacking on another run in the top of the fourth inning. The Knights were led in hitting by K. Cole who went 2-for-3 from the plate with an RBI and a walk. Bareman was 1-for-1 with a pair of RBI's.

The Knights will return to action on Wednesday, March 31 at home for a conference match-up with Kalamazoo College. The double-header is set to begin at 3:00 p.m.

MEN'S AND WOMEN'S TENNIS

HILTON HEAD, SC * The Calvin women's tennis team could not continue its winning ways on Friday, falling to Colby College 6-3. The loss was Calvin's first of the young season and drops Calvin to 4-1. Calvin is not back in action until Tuesday, with a game in Kalamazoo against the Hornets.

Colby dominated the singles match-ups, winning five of the six matches. Freshman Kari Lipinski (Grand Rapids Baptist) was the lone Calvin singles winner as she cruised to an easy 6-1, 6-2 victory.

Calvin fared better in doubles play, winning two of three. Sophomore Amy Zeilstra (Oak Brook, IL) teamed with her partner, junior Rachel Pater (Byron Center/South Christian), to win an exciting match 9-8, winning the tie-breaker 7-5. Also winning for Calvin in doubles was sophomore Annie Huizenga (Hudsonville/Unity Christian) and freshman Allyson Logan (Fort Wayne, IN) beat their opponent 8-3.

In men's action, Calvin was victorious in its match against Oneona State, 4-3. The match came down to the final doubles match-up, which was won, 7-5, by Calvin junior Jon Miedema (Grand Rapids Christian) and senior Mark Betten (Portage/Kalamazoo Christian). Freshman David Sneller (Sheboygan, WI) teamed with sophomore Ryan DeNooyer (Kalamazoo Christian) to win 8-1 in their doubles match.

Earlier in the day during singles action, Calvin came up short in the first three singles matches, but managed to win the next three to even the score going into doubles play. Betten easily won his match by a score of 6-1, 6-1; sophomore David Bratt (Grand Rapids Christian) also had an easy time in his 6-1, 6-1 victory. Sneller also won his match by a score of 7-5, 6-2.

Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Fri Mar 26 21:13:14 2004