CALVIN KNIGHT SPORTS REPORT FOR MAY 9, 2013
Baseball Season Comes to a Close with 4-3 MIAA Tournament Loss to Trine;
Erik Holstege Cracks 6,000 Point Plateau in Decathlon
BASEBALL
Trine 4, Calvin 3
HOLLAND - The 2013 Calvin baseball season came to an end with a 4-3 loss in 11 innings in an elimination game at the MIAA Tournament at Hope College Thursday afternoon. Calvin finishes the season with an overall record of 16-25. Calvin was making its first appearance in the MIAA Tournament this week. The Knights were defeated by Hope 7-3 in a first round game Wednesday.
In Thursday's loss to Trine, Calvin outhit the Thunder 11-7 but stranded 10 baserunners. Calvin also failed to hold a 3-1 lead in the eighth inning as the Thunder scored two runs in the top of the eighth to tie the game and then scored the go-ahead run in the top of the 11th.
Calvin trailed 1-0 but scored a pair of runs in the sixth as senior Ben Cok (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS) delivered a two-run RBI single to right field. In the seventh, Calvin added an insurance run on a two-out RBI double to left by sophomore Grant Van Putten (Holland/Holland Christian HS).
In the top of the eighth, Trine rallied for a pair of runs to tie the game with one run charged to starter Grant Vander Wall (Wyoming/South Christian HS) and the other to relief pitcher Cory Laster (Ludington/Ludington HS).
Calvin then had runners in scoring position in the eighth and ninth but could not bring home a run. Trine then broke through in the 11th, using a leadoff single, a error on a sacrifice bunt that placed runners on first and third, and a subsequent groundout that brought the run home.
Senior Tyler Tos (Walnut Creek, CA/Berean Christian HS) came up with a two-out single in the bottom half of the inning but was stranded at first.
Junior Jeff Victor (Holland/Holland Christian HS) took the loss despite throwing 3.1 innings of solid relief. Grant Vander Wall went the first 7.1 innings and was charged with two runs - both earned.
Tos closed out his Calvin career with three hits in four trips to the plate while scoring a pair of runs. Van Putten also went 3-for-6 on the day to raise his final season batting average to .426.
Tos was one of three Calvin seniors to close out their collegiate careers on Thursday as senior Mike Fuller (Sylvania, OH/Southview HS) and Cok also played in their final collegiate games.
Cok finished the year with 32 walks - a new Calvin single-season record. He also finished his career with 106 walks - also a new Calvin record. In addition, he finished second on the Calvin career list in at bats (453) and runs scored (101) while also placing fourth in career home runs (11), total bases (203) and runs batted in (82) as well as fifth in doubles (23) and eighth in total hits (127).
Van Putten's final season average of .426 is the third-highest single-season average in Calvin history, surpassed only by the .442 average of Ken Stuursma in 1987 and the .463 mark of T. J. Cummings in 1994. His season total of 63 hits is also a new Calvin single-season record as is his season total of 23 stolen bases. Van Putten now has 44 career stolen bases and is the Calvin career record holder in that category as well. In addition, his 41 runs scored this spring is the second-highest single-season total in Calvin baseball history. Finally, his total of 85 total bases is also second on the Calvin single-season list.
TRACK AND FIELD
HILLSDALE - Calvin College sophomore Erik Holstege completed a stellar two days of competition in the decathlon Thursday afternoon at the Hillsdale Charger Classic. Competing in his second-ever decathlon, Holstege (Kewsick, VA/Monticello HS) recorded a career-best score of 6,074 points. The point total eclipses his previous career best of 5,422 points established at a last-chance meet at Grand Valley State last spring.
Holstege's total of 6,074 points puts him 25th on the NCAA Division III qualifying list.
Holstege had several career-best efforts in the two-day, 10-event competition. In the 100 meters, he had a career-best time of 11.35 while also ripping off a career-best time of 15.28 in the 110 high hurdles. In the field events, he had a long jump of 22 feet, a high jump of 6-0, a pole vault of 10-8, a javelin throw of 123-4, a shot put throw of 34-8 and a discus heave of 110-3. He also ran 52.85 in the 400 meters and 5:11.36 in the 1,500 meters. His time in the 400 meters came on his second race in the event. In a bizarre turn of events, the timing system failed in his initial 400 meter race. Hand times had Holstege at around 51.5. Needing a fully automated time in the 400 meters to officially post a score in the event, Holstege was given a three-hour wait before running again. In his second race, he clocked in at 52.85.
"It was just a great two days of competition for Erik," said Calvin head track coach Bret Otte. "He gave it everything he had, even though he essentially had to compete in 11 events instead of 10. His point total may be just short of getting to the national meet but he is getting very close to getting there. If it does not happen this spring, I am confident he will get there next year provided he is blessed with good health."
Calvin also had a handful of athletes competing at the Aquinas College Twilight Invitational on Wednesday. On the men's side, freshman Jeff Meitler (New Berlin, Wisc./Milwaukee Lutheran HS) took first place in the 1,500 meters (4:06.09) while sophomore Stephen Tubergen (Arlington Heights, IL/John Hersey HS) was third (4:07.23). In the 5,000 meters, freshman Jonathon Gingrich (Powell, OH/Olentangy Liberty HS) was third (15:56.90). In the pole vault, freshman Lucas Wolters (Vincennes, IN/South Knox HS) had a career-best effort in placing second (13-11 3/4) while junior Evert Geerlings (Kentwood/East Kentwood HS) was third (13-5 3/4).
On the women's side, junior Lauren Madden (Orland Park, IL/Chicago Christian HS) had a season-best throw of 124-7 that was good for first place.
A group of Calvin athletes will compete Thursday and Friday night at the Dr. Keeler Invitational at North Central College while another group of athletes will compete at the Grand Valley State Last Chance meets Friday and Saturday.
Received on Thu May 9 22:19:06 2013
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