The Calvin softball team is currently 12-6 on the season and 2-0 in the MIAA conference. The Knights began their season in Florida during spring break and continued to travel until Tuesday, April 5, for their first home opener against Albion College. Calvin is ranked second in the MIAA conference behind Alma College.
The Knights have been hitting very well overall. As a team, they have produced 124 runs in 18 games with a team batting average of .357. The team has hit seven home runs with three of them coming from first year student Maddie DeGroot.
Calvin came back from Florida and traveled to Ohio to play Defiance College and Bluffton University. Against Defiance the Knights mercied the Yellowjackets both games in five innings with scores of 13-3 and 8-0. Against Bluffton the Knights split with the Beavers, winning the first game 12-4 and losing the second 3-2.
Last week Calvin traveled to Illinois to play the Thunder of Wheaton College. The Knights lost the first game 8-1 despite the efforts of senior Lydia Gildea. Gildea homered in the top of the second to take the lead for the Knights, but Wheaton came back in the bottom of the third to score four runs and eventually four more throughout the remainder of the game. The Knights came back with 14 hits in the second game to mercy Wheaton in five innings with a score of 8-0.
Just this week Calvin hosted Albion in their home opener. The Knights swept the Britons with a 3-1 win in the first game and a 5-4 win in the second. Calvin scored first in both games as senior Ashley Riemersma and first-year student Rachel Borden both acquired three hits in a single game, game-highs for both players.
Gildea had three RBI on the day and senior Caitlin Bell batted in two. During the second game, four players finished with a single and a double. Junior pitcher Paige Groom allowed seven hits and had two strikeouts through seven innings of play.
Calvin’s doubleheader at Alma this past Wednesday was postponed due to rain, but the women will be back in action this Saturday, April 9, in Indiana against Saint Mary’s University.
