CSR (Baseball Upends Madonna/Prepares for Big Conference Series With Albion)

CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 2004

BASEBALL

Calvin got back on the winning track with a 8-6 non-conference victory over
visiting Madonna University Wednesday afternoon at Calvin Field.

The victory lifted the record of the Knights to 14-23 overall heading into a
season-ending three-game conference series with Albion that begins tomorrow.

Calvin used a combination of five pitchers to gain the win over the visiting
Crusaders (31-24) with junior Joel Bont (Calvin Christian HS) collecting his
first collegiate win as threw 1.1 innings of relief midway through the contest.
 Bont entered the game in the top of the sixth with two outs and retired all
four batters he faced. The big lefthander was relieved by sophomore Tim
Stoeffler (Ionia HS) who threw an inning of shutout ball in the eighth with
senior Dean Thompson (Ogemaw Heights HS) closing the door in the ninth as he
retired the side in order that included a pair of strikeouts. The scoreless
frame by Thompson gained the hard-throwing righthander his second save of the
season.

Calvin trailed 2-0 early on but took the lead with three runs in the bottom of
the third with junior Andy Bunting (Glen Lake HS) recording the key blow with a
two-run double to the centerfield wall.

Madonna answered with three runs in the fourth and added a run in the fifth to
build a 6-3 lead. Calvin chipped into the lead with a run in the bottom of the
fifth on an RBI groundout by Stoeffler. In the bottom of the sixth, Calvin
erupted for four runs on three hits and two Madonna errors. Freshman Kyle
Fletcher () picked up an RBI single in the rally while sophomore Kyle Hollemans
(East Kentwood HS) also belted an RBI double. The two-base hit marked the
eighth double of the year for Hollemans who is tied for the team lead in that
category.

Freshman Brian Vande Streek (Unity Christian HS) got the start for the Knights
and went the first three innings with sophomore Ben Buikema (Lakewood-Lake
Odessa HS) throwing 2.2 innings of relief before Bont, Stoeffler and Thompson
entered the game.

Both teams collected 11 hits apiece with senior Terry O'Neal (Muskegon
Reeths-Puffer HS), Fletcher and sophomore Jon Henderson (Ottawa Hills HS)
picking up two hits each.

Calvin also reaped the benefits of five Madonna errors which led to four
unearned runs scored by the Knights.

Calvin's game against Albion tomorrow is slated to start at 4:00 p.m.. The
Britons lead the MIAA standings with a 12-3 conference record and need just two
victories or a win and an Adrian loss to wrap up the MIAA title and an NCAA III
Tournament bid. The Calvin/Albion series concludes on Friday with a
doubleheader slated to start at 2:00 p.m..

All three of the Calvin/Albion games will be broadcast via RealAudio over the
Calvin web site at: www.Calvin.edu/sports

MIAA BASEBALL STANDINGS THROUGH 5-5-04 GAMES

Albion 12-3
Adrian 11-5
Alma 9-7
Hope 8-7
Olivet 8-7
Calvin 5-10
Kalamazoo 2-16

Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Wed May 5 19:44:38 2004