CKSR (Softball Remains Unbeaten - Downs Chicago and Wesleyan / Men's Lacrosse Dropped by Delaware Valley / Baseball Belts Blue Streaks)

CALVIN KNIGHT WEEKEND SPORTS WRAP FOR MARCH 18, 2018

Softball Remains Unbeaten With Pair of Grapefruit League Victories;
Men's Lacrosse Dropped by Delaware Valley;
Baseball Belts Blue Streaks

SOFTBALL
Calvin 5, Chicago 4
Calvin 9, Wesleyan 1

CLERMONT, Fla. - The Calvin softball program is 6-0 for the first time in program history. The Knights opened the spring break slate with victories over Chicago and Wesleyan on Saturday.
"I am really proud of how the team played today," said head coach Becky Hilgert. "They never backed down against Chicago and we had contributors from all across the lineup. I am happy with how we continued to play against Wesleyan and how we were finally able to break through."
The Knights struck first against the Maroons of Chicago on Saturday in the third inning. Senior Kaley Frank (Edwardsburg, Mich./Edwardsburg) singled into the gap in left-center to score freshman Grace Stock (Vicksburg, Mich./Vicksburg) and senior Jessica Brasser (Rockford, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian).
Chicago struck back with a three-run fifth inning.
The Knights were down to their final out of the game, trailing 3-2, in the top of the seventh inning. Grace Stock kept hope alive with a single to third base. A Maroon misthrow landed Stock safely at second base with junior Abby Colon (Caledonia, Mich./South Christian) at first base. Another Chicago error was responsible for Kaley Frank filling the bases.
Freshman Kennedy Geiger (Clarksville, Mich./Lake Odessa) saved the day with a single up the middle that sent home Colon and Stock to tie the game. The hit was the first of her career at Calvin.
Geiger also flexed her muscles in the circle throwing the final four innings of the game without allowing a hit and finishing with three strikeouts.
In the eighth inning, the Maroons had the game-winning runner on third base with only one out. Geiger ended the threat with a strikeout.
Junior Maddie DeGroot (Hudsonville, Mich./Hudsonville) opened the ninth inning with a bang. DeGroot gave the Knights the lead with a no-doubt home run over the left-field fence.
The Maroons would fill the bases with no outs, but the Calvin defense held to secure the victory.
Jessica Brasser led the Knights with three hits.
In the circle, junior Anna Gernant (West Des Moines, Iowa/Valley) finished with eight strikeouts. Geiger earned the victory in her first appearance.
The Knights would not need nine innings to solve the Cardinals of Wesleyan; they did not even need seven.
In the first inning, Anna Gernant singled to left field to score Grace Stock.
The Cardinals lone run came from a single to the outfield.
The Calvin bats went off in the fourth inning. Abby Colon started the scoring carousel with a single that scored DeGroot. Anna Gernant then crossed Jessica Brasser across the plate on a single.
A fielder's choice scored Colon and Gernant.
In the sixth inning, a triple from Maddie DeGroot scored Kennedy Geiger and sophomore Jordan VanEerden (Holland, Mich./Holland Christian).
The game ended with a single from Grace Stock that scored Maddie DeGroot.
Freshman Ellie Borst (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian) recorded her third victory of the year with nine strikeouts and only having allowed two hits.
The 1987 team posted a 5-0 start to the season and finished with a record of 28-4.
The Knights return to action on Monday against Wooster and New Paltz.

MEN'S LACROSSE
Delaware Valley 16, Calvin 9

DOYLETOWN, PA. - Calvin opened its spring break trip with a 16-9 loss to Delaware Valley University Saturday afternoon.

Calvin (2-5) trailed the host Rams (1-4) just 4-3 after one quarter of play but Delaware Valley outscored Calvin 9-0 over the next two quarters to build a 13-3 lead.

The Knights had a strong fourth quarter outscoring Delaware Valley 6-3 to bring the final deficit down to seven.
Calvin led on two occasions in the first quarter, leading 2-1 and 3-2. The Rams scored the final two goals of the quarter which triggered an 11-0 scoring run.

Juniors Noah Nedd (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian HS) and Austin Bontreger (Fishers, Ind./Heritage Christian HS) had two goals apiece.

Senior Michael Winkler (La Quinta, Ca./Palm Desert HS) had a goal and two assists.

Junior Max Foster (Bloomfield Hills, Mich./Brother Rice HS), sophomore Griffin Sparling (Novi, Mich./Novi HS), sophomore Nick Pitre (Jacksonville, Fl./Providence HS) and sophomore Corey Dymond (Dexter, Mich./Dexter HS) all scored single goals for the Knights.

Freshman Noah Boelens (Round Lake, Il./Grayslake Central HS) and sophomore Kyle Post (Hudsonville, Mich./Hudsonville HS) had one assist apiece.

Nedd had a season-high seven ground balls while senior Ethan Brown (Falmouth, ME/Falmouth HS) had six ground balls. Freshman Nathan Jindra (South Bend, Ind./John Adams HS) also had six ground balls.

As a team, Calvin collected 40 ground balls to the 38 of Delaware Valley.
Freshman goaltender Mitchell Wong (Schaumburg, Il./Schaumburg HS) had 19 saves for the Knights.

Calvin returns to action next Wednesday when it travels to Stockton University for a 4 p.m. match.

BASEBALL
Calvin 9, John Carroll 7

LEXINGTON, KY - Calvin got back on the winning track with a hard-fought 9-7 victory over John Carroll University Saturday morning on the campus of Transylvania University.
Calvin (2-6) collected 10 hits and rode a strong starting pitching performance from junior Jonathan Keane (Brookfield, Wisc./Brookfield Central HS) to pick up the win.
Keane went 7.1 innings on the hill, striking out six and walking only one.
Senior Nate DeZwaan (Hamilton, Mich./Holland Christian HS) went 2-for-4 at the plate with four RBI. DeZwaan had a double, a triple and a sacrifice fly at the plate.
Junior Ryan Pena (Lake Forest, Ca./J Serra Catholic HS) belted a solo home run for the Knights in the first.
John Carroll (7-5) tied the game 5-5 with three runs in the top of the eighth but the Knights responded with four runs in the bottom of the eighth with DeZwaan delivering an RBI triple and Pena an RBI single.
John Carroll scored two runs in the top of the ninth but left two runners on base as junior Logan Walker (Imlay City, Mich./Lapeer East HS) got the final out of the game to pick up the save.
DeZwaan, Pena and sophomore Quinn Hyndiuk (Elm Grove, Wisc./Brookfield East HS) all had two hits apiece.
Sophomore Justin Paauwe (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian HS) picked up the win in relief for the Knights. The win was the first of Paauwe's collegiate career.
Received on Sun Mar 18 23:07:48 2018