CALVIN KNIGHT SPORTS REPORT FOR MAY 12, 2018
SOFTBALL
Calvin 5, Hope 2
HOLLAND, Mich. - Calvin advanced to the regional finals of the NCAA III softball tournament with a thrilling 5-2 victory over rival Hope Saturday morning at Wolters Stadium.
Calvin (32-8) held off a late Hope rally and added two key insurance runs late to win the game.
The Knights will play in the NCAA III Regional Final Monday afternoon in a rematch against Hope at noon at Hope's Wolter Stadium. Hope advanced out of the loser's bracket Saturday by defeating Franklin 6-1 in an elimination game Saturday afternoon. Hope will need to beat Calvin twice to win the regional crown on Monday.
In Saturday's victory over Hope, Calvin held a 3-0 lead in the sixth but the Flying Dutch (31-10) rallied for two runs in the bottom of the sixth and had the bases loaded with one out. Freshman Ellie Borst (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian HS) came on in relief to extinguish the Hope threat. Borst got the second out of the inning on a foulout to first snagged by junior Abby Colon (Caledonia, Mich./South Christian HS). She then got out of the inning with a groundout to third, stranding three Hope runners.
In the top of the seventh, junior Maddie DeGroot (Hudsonville, Mich./Unity Christian HS) collected an RBI single that brought home junior Kristen Newman (Chelsea, Mich./Chelsea HS). Senior Jessica Brasser (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian HS) followed with an RBI double to left to give Calvin a three-run cushion.
Borst struck out the first two hitters she faced in the bottom of the seventh but Hope stayed alive with a single by senior Haley Reitsma. Calvin closed out the game with a diving catch in foul territory by rightfielder Bri Noorman (Jenison, Mich./Covenant Christian HS).
Calvin scored its first two runs of the game back in the fourth inning as senior Kaley Frank (Edwardsburg, Mich./Edwardsburg HS) drove in one run with a single while Colon came home on a Hope throwing error. Calvin added another run in the fifth on a sacrifice fly by DeGroot that brought home Newman from third.
Brasser went 3-for-4 at the plate for the Knights. Newman went 2-for-3. DeGroot went 1-for-3 and drove in a pair of runs.
Junior Anna Gernant (West Des Moines, Ia./Valley HS) picked up the win, striking out 12 Hope batters in 5.1 innings of work. Borst picked up the save, tossing the final 1.2 innings.
Calvin has now faced Hope five times this year and has posted a 4-1 record against the Flying Dutch including a 3-0 record at Wolters Stadium.
"I'm really excited for our players. They played great," said Calvin head softball coach Becky Hilgert. "Playing Hope for the fifth time this season, our focus was to view Hope as another team over there and not to get too wrapped up in the rivalry and I thought we did. Anna pitched a stellar five (innings) and then got into a little bit of trouble in the sixth but we've got a great pitching staff. Ellie stepped up, got the hitters off balance, accepted that role and did a great job in relief. Our hitters were aggressive and hungry. They competed all seven innings and that's all I can ask for."
DeGroot now has 58 hits on the season which ranks third on the Calvin single-season list. Brasser has 57 hits on the year which ranks fourth on the Calvin single-single charts. In addition, DeGroot boosted her career hits total to 156 which matches Melanie Harriff for third place on the Calvin career list. Brasser boosted her career hits total to 151 which matches Lina Avila for fifth place on the Calvin career list.
Gernant (14-5) boosted her season strikeout total to 183 which ranks fifth on the Calvin single-season list. She also bumped up her career strikeout number to 575 which ranks second on the all-time Calvin list.
WOMEN'S LACROSSE
Denison 21, Calvin 4
GRANVILLE, Ohio - The Calvin women's lacrosse season ended on Saturday afternoon in the second round of the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Knights bowed out with a 21-4 loss to the Big Red of Denison, who are ranked second in the mid-south region. Calvin finishes the season with a 12-6 record. The Maroon and Gold earned a spot in the NCAA Tournament with victories over Hope and Saint Mary's in the MIAA Tournament. Calvin also posted a perfect 8-0 record in MIAA play for the second straight year. Calvin is the only MIAA women's lacrosse program to advance to the NCAA Tournament for three-straight years. Denison improves to 17-2 on the year and will face the winner of the Salisbury region.
"It's been a great season," said head coach Blake Boehm. "I'm proud of each of these players and the hard work and dedication they give to the program."
Sophomore Emma Verrett (Beaver, Pa./Beaver County Christian) scored the first goal for Calvin with 18:01 left in the first half as she ran left to right past the Denison keeper.
The two teams were then rushed off the field due to lightning in the area.
Senior Amanda Davio (Okemos, Mich./Okemos) scored on a free position shot.
Emma Verrett scored on a free position shot with 26 seconds left in the first half to send Calvin into the half trailing, 3-13.
Junior Grace Einfeld (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian) scored the final Calvin goal of the year with a blast into the net off a pass from Emma Verrett.
Junior Ellis Chalfant (St. Louis, Mo./Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School) tallied nine saves on Saturday. Freshman Meghan Economou (Hartland, Mich./Hartland) posted four saves in relief.
Junior Sky Gyuro (Warwick, N.Y./Storm King School) had a team-high four ground balls.
Emma Verrett led the Maroon and Gold with four draw controls.
Multiple records fell for Calvin in 2018. Kelly Pepper finished with a record 53 assists. She also broke the MIAA and school record with 10 assists against Olivet. This year, Pepper moved into first place all-time at Calvin with 88 assists and was the first Knight to be named the MIAA Offensive MVP. Lauryn Slachter scored five man-up goals in 2018.
The Calvin senior class was consistent and powerful. All four years, the Calvin seniors with a 12-6 record on the year. The 48 wins are the most of any class in program history. They also posted a record of 31-1 in MIAA play and won their last 22 games. Over the past four years, Calvin has won three MIAA titles and three MIAA Tournament titles. Amanda Davio finishes her career second all-time in points at Calvin with 239 on 202 goals and 37 assists. Madeline Baas (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian) walks away with 384 draw controls, the most in program history. Emma Hall (Harare, Zimbabwe/Chisipite Senior School) is fourth all-time in caused turnovers with 48 and sixth in ground balls with 89. All three seniors are the program leaders in games played and started.
MEN'S TRACK AND FIELD
NAPERVILLE, Il. - Calvin competed at the North Central College Dr. Keeler Invitational Thursday and Friday.
Calvin sophomore Tyler Johnson (Springfield, Il./Pleasant Plains HS) led the Calvin distance crew in the 5,000 meter run Thursday night. Johnson placed 11th in the race with a career-best time of 14:46.26. Senior Andrew Philipose (Mount Prospect, Il./John Hersey HS) was 16th (14:58.45), freshman Justin Varineau (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian HS) 25th (15:01.34), freshman Jonathan Ellis (Baltimore, Md./Towson HS 37th (15:01), junior Jamison Koeman (Whitinsville, Mass./Whitinsville Christian HS) 48th (15:26.94) and sophomore Jacob Pettinga (Saugutuck, Mich./Saugutuck HS) 76th (16:03.41).
In the 3,000 meter steeplechase Friday night, sophomore Caleb Ferguson (Naperville, Il./Neuqua Valley HS) was 14th (9:19.07), sophomore Addison Smith (Seoul, South Korea/Seoul Foreign School) 41st (9:43.04) and senior Matt Boelens (Bolton, Mass./Nashoba Regional HS) 42nd (9:43.14).
In the 1500 meters, senior Mark DeJong (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian HS) was 28th in a season-best time of 4:00.31.
Senior Ethan Valentine (Mason, Oh./William Mason HS) took third in the 400 meters (48.80) with junior James Jeninga (Brookfield, Wisc./Milwaukee Lutheran HS) 14th (50.51) and senior Noah Buteyn (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian HS) 15th (50.70).
Calvin's 4x400 meter relay team of Buteyn, junior Luke Peterson (Holland, Mich./Holland Christian HS), Jeninga and Valentine) took fourth in a season-best time of 3:17.00. The time currently ranks 23rd on the NCAA III Outdoor performance list.
WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD
NAPERVILLE, Il. - Calvin competed at the Dr. Keeler Invitational hosted by North Central College Thursday and Friday.
Junior Katie Diekema (Kenmore, Wash./Inglemoor HS) highlighted the meet for the Knights, finishing fourth with a career-best time of 4:33.61. Her time ranks 17th on the NCAA III Outdoor performance list.
Sophomore Emma Schroer (Wheaton, Il./Wheaton Warrenville South HS) was 49th in 5:07.64.
In the 5,000 meters, senior Jenna Dyksen (Hawthorne, NJ/Hawthorne HS) was eighth (15.23). Sophomore Michelle Koetje (Grand Rapids, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian HS) was 26th in the 5,000 meters (17:51.41).
Sophomore Allison Rozel (Grand Rapids, Mich./Forest Hills Northern HS) was eighth in the javelin (111-0).
Junior Breanna Kooiman (Tinley Park, Il./Chicago Christian HS) was 21st in the steeplechase with a season-best time of 11:40.55.
Received on Sat May 12 23:25:12 2018
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