CSR (Softball Splits with Hope/Hillsdale Relays Begin)

CALVIN SPORTS REPORT FOR APRIL 28, 2005

 SOFTBALL
(Story written by Abby Zylstra '08)

Calvin and Hope split a doubleheader this afternoon. Hope won the first game
9-0 in a game shortened to six innings, and Calvin came back to won the second
game 5-2.
Thursday's doubleheader featured a matchup of regionally-ranked teams as Hope
entered the game ranked fifth in the latest Central Regional rankings with
Calvin ranked sixth.

With the doubleheader split, Calvin sits in third place in the MIAA regular
season standings but could gain a share of second place with a doubleheader
sweep over Adrian on Saturday. Hope has completed its regular season campaign.
 Calvin and Hope have both clinched spots in next week's MIAA Tournament and
could meet again in a first round game next Friday.

In the first game on Thursday, the Flying Dutch started things off quickly,
scoring one run in the bottom of the first inning, using three consecutive
hits.
Hope tacked on three more runs in the second, another in the fifth and closed
out the game with four runs in the bottom of the sixth capped off by a
three-run homer to center by Meg Sheehan that brought the mercy-rule into play.
 

The winning pitcher for the Flying Dutch was junior Kelsey Guisbert (14-3) who
picked up her ninth shutout of the year. Senior Kara Van Kooten (10-6) took the
loss for the Knights. She struck out three and walked one.

Hope finished game one with 13 hits, nine runs, no errors, and seven runners
left on base. The Knights were limited to three hits with junior Jeanne Cole
(Mason County Eastern HS), freshman Cori VanKovering (Unity Christian HS) and
senior Bridget O'Malley (Fairfax, VA) picking up one hit apiece.

 Game Two

Calvin (21-11 overall) scored in the bottom of the first inning. Senior Angie
Sietsema (Grandville/Grandville) had a one-out base hit into short centerfield
to get on base. Sophomore Erin Conrad (Grandville/Calvin Christian)singled down
the left field line and took second base off an error on the leftfielder with
Sietsema coming all the way around to score.

The Flying Dutch made their comeback in the top of the fourth inning with a
pair of runs, using RBI singles from Emily Adams and Libby Hammon to take a 2-1
lead.

The Knights tied the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. Sietsema walked to
start the inning. Conrad had a base hit to left centerfield, placing runners on
first and second. Konyndyk grounded out to shortstop but advanced the runners
to second and third. Heyboer followed with a short fly ball down the rightfield
line that was caught in foul ball territory. Sietsema tagged up at third and
scored on a close play at the plate to tie the game at two.

 The Knights took the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. VanKoevering
singled. Wagner hit a slow ball up the middle and reached first on a fielder's
choice with VanKoevering also safe at second on the play. With one out, Cole
hit an infield single to load the bases. Sietsema followed with a base hit up
the middle on a 3-2 pitch to score VanKoevering and Wagner. Cole then scored on
a wild pitch to give Calvin a 5-2 lead.

In the seventh, Hope placed one runner on base but did no further damage as
sophomore Ruth Anna Spooner (Twin Falls, ID) picked up the victory in relief of
starter Rachelle Heyboer, allowing Spooner to run her season record to 6-1 on
the year. Spooner struck out four of the seven batters she faced. Becky
Whitman (12-3) took the loss for Hope.

Calvin finished game two with five runs, 12 hits, and no errrors. Hope had two
runs, seven hits, and three errors.

Cole's infield single in the sixth, allowed her to extend her hitting streak to
15 games. The single was also her 25th hit of the year, setting a new MIAA
single-season record for hits in the process. Sietsema went 3-3 on the game,
scoring two runs and driving in two runs. Conrad also went 3-4 with
VanKoevering and Wagner collecting two hits apiece.

Saturday's doubleheader with Adrian is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m. at
Calvin Field.

MIAA SOFTBALL STANDINGS THROUGH 4-28-05

Alma 13-1
Hope 13-3
Calvin 11-3
Olivet 10-4
Tri-State 7-9
Albion 5-11
Adrian 3-9
Kalamazoo 2-12
St. Mary's 2-14

NCAA III Central Regional Rankings (Released 4-28-05)

1 Muskingum 28-4 22-1
2 Thomas More 17-9 15-2
3 Mount Union 26-7 17-4
4 Alma 21-7 16-4
5 Hope 23-7 11-2
6 Calvin 18-10 9-1
7 Transylvania 16-6-1 10-4
8 Capital 21-11 13-7

MEN'S AND WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD

HILLSDALE -- Three Calvin athletes opened competition at the Hillsdale Relays
on Thursday with junior Christine Hendricks (Cincinnati, OH) and sophomore
Lorilyn Vogel (Sioux Center, IA) competing in the heptathlon while sophomore
Eric DeVries competed in the decathlon.

After one day, Hendricks holds a four-event total of 2,800 points while Vogel
has a total of 2,632 points. In the decathlon, DeVries has a total of 2,901
points.

Here are the event results for each athlete on Thursday:

Christine Henricks:
100 meter hurdles - 15.43
High Jump - 5-3 1/4
Shot Put - 36-5 3/4
200 meters -- 27.59

Lorilyn Vogel
100 meter hurdles - 15.79
High Jump 5-2 1/4
Shot Put - 29-7 1/2
200 meters - 26.97

Eric DeVries
100 meters -- 12.28
Long Jump -- 19-2
Shot put - 37-9 1/4
High Jump 5-8
400 meters -- 54.88

Competition for all three athletes continues on Friday.

Jeff Febus
Sports Information Director
Calvin College
(616) 526-6169 Office
(616) 526-8551 Fax
Received on Thu Apr 28 23:45:21 2005