CKSR (Calvin Knight Weekend Sports Report for April 17 - Part One)

CALVIN KNIGHT WEEKEND SPORTS REPORT FOR APRIL 17, 2016 (Part One)

SOFTBALL
Kalamazoo 3, Calvin 2 (8 innings)
Calvin 11, Kalamazoo 2 (6 innings)

(Editor's note: A coaching transition has taken place with the Calvin softball team. Kevin Vande Streek is now the interim head softball coach at Calvin. Information on the coaching transition can be found on the Calvin website at: http://calvinknights.com/sports/sball/2015-16/releases/20160416jc4l22)

KENTWOOD, Mich. - The Calvin softball team split with the Kalamazoo Hornets on Saturday afternoon. The Hornets edged the Knights in eight innings in games one, 3-2. The Knights responded with a six inning mercy rule victory in game two, 11-2. The Knights are now 13-11 on the year and are 3-5 in MIAA play. The victory in game two snapped a five-game losing skid for the Knights. Kalamazoo is now 7-18 on the season and 3-5 in MIAA action.
"They showed great perseverance today," said Calvin softball interim head coach Kevin Vande Streek. "After some of the things this week and losing in extra innings, they showed great perseverance today. Great mental toughness, if you want to play for championships, you have to be mentally tough and they showed that today."
The first game started with senior Lydia Gildea (Gobles/Gobles HS) lining a shot down the right-field line in the first inning to score freshman Maddie DeGroot (Hudsonville/Unity Christian HS) from second base. Gildea then scored on a wild pitch.
That would be the last run of the game for the Knights.
The Hornets tied the game in the fifth inning with a bases clearing double by Victoria Najecht.
The Knights and Hornets would go to extra innings, where Kalamazoo would score the game-winning run in the eighth inning.
Freshman Anna Gernant (West Des Moines/Valley HS) threw five strikeouts in eight innings on Saturday.
Lydia Gildea and freshman Rachel Borden (Edwardsburg/Edwardsburg HS) had two hits in game one.
The Hornets struck again first in game two with a run in the first inning and second inning to take a 2-0 lead.
The Knights countered the Kalamazoo run with a five-run third inning. The scoring started with a bunt single by Rachel Borden , who advanced to third base on a throwing error, scoring Maddie DeGroot. Senior Ashley Riemersma (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS) singled to the outfield to score Rachel Borden. A double to right field by sophomore Jessica Brasser (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS) scored Riemersma. The inning was highlighted by a two-run homerun by Anna Gernant over the left-field fence.
The Knights capitalized on another Kalamazoo error in the fifth inning, freshman Casey Lawler (Novi/Novi HS) reached on a throwing error that scored Anna Gernant and Jessica Brasser.
In the sixth inning, Anna Gernant started the scoring with a single to right field to score Ashley Riemersma. Sophomore Kaley Frank (Edwardsburg/Edwardsburg HS) singled through the middle to score Lydia Gildea. Casey Lawler singled down the right-field line to score Jessica Brasser. The final run was scored by Maddie DeGroot who singled up the middle to score Anna Gernant.
Junior Paige Groom (Potterville/Potterville HS) quieted the Hornet bats on Saturday afternoon, Groom notched four strikeouts on the day and held Kalamazoo to six hits.
The Knights has 13 hits in game two, Rachel Borden finished with a game-high three hits, tying her career-high.
The Knights return to action on Monday when they travel to Indiana to face Saint Mary's.

MIAA SOFTBALL STANDINGS THROUGH 4-16-16 GAMES

Alma 9-1
Trine 7-1
Hope 7-3
Saint Mary's 4-2
Adrian 3-5
Calvin 3-5
Kalamazoo 3-5
Olivet 2-4
Albion 0-12

BASEBALL
Calvin 6, Albion 3
Albion 20, Calvin 14

ALBION, Mich. - The Calvin baseball team split a doubleheader at Albion on Saturday, allowing the Knights to take three of the four games in the conference series that began on Thursday.

In Saturday's twinbill, Calvin (10-17 overall, 6-10 MIAA) took the opener 6-3 but then fell 20-14 in game two as both teams were forced to reach deep into their bullpens.

In game one, Calvin took a 4-3 lead with a two-run fifth. The rally was ignited on a successful double steal by sophomore Ryan Stewart (Detroit/Parkway Christian HS) and junior Mike Kempton Edwardsburg/Edwardsburg HS) with Stewart stealing home on the play. Sophomore Nate DeZwaan (Holland/Holland Christian HS) then doubled in Kempton from second base.

In the sixth, freshman Steven Seager (Plantation, Fl./Plantation HS) launched his fourth home run of the spring to put the Knights up 5-3 and DeZwaan added an insurance run with a sacrifice fly in the seventh.

Freshman Spencer Yahrmarkt (Sanford/Meridian HS) picked up the win to even his season record at 2-2. Yahrmarkt went four innings, scattering six hits. Senior Kyle Wasserberger (Spring Lake/Spring Lake HS) came on to toss three shutout innings of relief to pick his second save of the season.

Seager, Stewart and DeZwaan all had two hits apiece.

In game two, Senior Colton Wolfe (Eaton Rapids/Eaton Rapids HS) had a monster performance, going 4-for-5 with two home runs and five runs batted in but it was not enough as the Britons (11-17 overall, 4-12 MIAA) used a seven-run seventh inning to take 17-12 lead after the Knights had led 11-1 back in the fourth.

Calvin outhit Albion 22-17 but the Britons were issued nine free passes by the Knight pitching staff.

Senior Jordan VanderWall (Wyoming/South Christian HS) had a pair of hits including a home run to raise his season batting average to .370. With his four-hit performance, Wolfe raised his season average to .404 while boosting his season home run total to eight and his career total to 15. He is now fourth on the Calvin career list for home runs.

Seager, junior Matt Kotva (Elkhart, Ind./Concord HS) and Stewart all had three hits for Calvin in defeat with Kotva belting a pair of doubles. Kempton and Jonathan Keane (Brookfield, Wisc./Brookfield Central HS) also had two hits each.

Freshman Logan Walker (Imlay City/Lapeer East HS) took the loss for Calvin in relief. Freshman Clay Francisco (Delton/Thornapple-Kellogg HS) took the start and went the first 4.1 innings.

Calvin is back in action on Tuesday when it travels to the University of Chicago for a 4 p.m. game.

MIAA BASEBALL STANDINGS THROUGH 4-16-16 GAMES

Adrian 12-2
Kalamazoo 9-5
Trine 9-5
Hope 10-6
Alma 8-6
Calvin 6-10
Albion 4-12
Olivet 2-14

WOMEN'S LACROSSE
Calvin 16, Alma 9

ALMA, Mich. - The Calvin women's lacrosse team got back on the winning track on Saturday evening at Alma. The Knights picked up a key road victory against the Scots, 16-9. The Knights improve to 5-5 on the year and 2-1 in MIAA play.
"This was a good win for us," said head coach Blake Boehm. "We started off a little frazzled in the first half; we weren't playing our style of lacrosse and it had an effect on our production. At halftime we talked about taking control of the game through possessions and waiting for the right opportunities to challenge the defense. Hats off to Maddie and the rest of our middies for taking control of the draws. They really set the tone and gave us the possessions we needed to pull ahead. Ellis Chalfant held strong in the net and our defense played solid throughout the game."
The Scots struck first on Saturday evening, but the Knights responded with three-straight goals.
Freshman Lauryn Slachter (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS) scored on a free position shot at 26:33. Freshman Emma Tilma (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS) would then give Calvin the lead five minutes in. Junior Emily Cefaratti (Hinsdale, Il./Hinsdale Central HS) would then score 24 seconds later on a free position.
Alma would take the lead back with three-straight goals.
Calvin would close the first half on a 3-0 to take the lead, from which they would not give back.
With 12:52 left in the first half, Lauryn Slachter scored her second goal of the game. Freshman Kelly Pepper would score on a man-advantage with 8:54 left. Sophomore Amanda Davio (Okemos/Okemos HS) closed the half with a goal with only 46 seconds left in the half.
The Knights would go into halftime leading, 6-4.
Calvin would extend the lead with a 3-0 run in the first five minutes of the second half.
Freshman Kayla Erffmeyer (Grand Rapids/Grand Rapids Christian HS) scored on a shot with an assist to Emily Cefaratti.
Cefaratti would then score on two free position shots.
Emily Cefaratti would strike again four minutes later on a free position.
Amanda Davio and Emily Cefaratti would both score an unassisted goal before the Scots would cut the lead to 12-8.
The Knights would close the game on a 4-1 run, with three goals from Amanda Davio and one from Emily Cefaratti.
Freshman Ellis Chalfant (St. Louis, Mo./St. Louis Country Day School) recorded seven saves in the victory.
Emily Cefaratti had a game-high six goals.
The Knights had 28 ground balls on Saturday night, to 18 for Alma.
Calvin proved to be superior on the draw controls on Saturday with 17, compared to 10 for Alma.
The Knights forced 21 turnovers and outshot Alma, 41-20.
Calvin returns to action on Tuesday when the Knights host Saint Mary's.

MIAA WOMEN'S LACROSSE STANDINGS THROUGH 4-16-16 GAMES

Albion 4-0
Hope 3-0
Saint Mary's 3-1
Calvin 2-1
Kalamazoo 2-1
Adrian 1-2
Alma 1-3
Olivet 0-4
Trine 0-4

MEN'S LACROSSE

ANGOLA, Ind. - The Calvin men's lacrosse team fell by a 6-2 score Saturday afternoon at Trine University.

Playing their third game in six days, the Knights fought through fatigue to stay with the host Thunder, trailing 3-2 at halftime.

Trine (5-4 overall, 2-1 MIAA) outshot Calvin (5-7 overall, 0-3 MIAA) 25-6 in the second half and scored two goals in the third quarter and one more in the fourth to seal the win.

Freshman Michael Winkler (La Quinta, Ca./Palm Desert HS) had both of Calvin's goals on Saturday. Junior Chris Griffin (Hartland/Hartland HS) notched a pair of assists.

Junior Joel Schaefer (Clarksville, Md./Annapolis Area Christian HS) scooped up six ground balls.

Freshman goalkeeper Tristan Parece (Kelowna, BC/Kelowna Secondary School) collected 14 saves.

Calvin returns to action on Wednesday when it hosts Albion at 4 p.m. at Zuidema Field.

MIAA MEN'S LACROSSE STANDINGS THROUGH 4-16-16 GAMES

Hope 3-0
Albion 3-0
Alma 2-1
Trine 2-1
Olivet 2-1
Adrian 0-3
Calvin 0-3
Kalamazoo 0-3
Received on Sun Apr 17 18:07:52 2016