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Highlights on the Mound: Softball
by Ted Fackler
Associate Sports Editor
FILE PHOTO
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Calvin softball began MIAA competition last Wednesday, splitting a pair of games against rival Hope College. The weather cooperated throughout the day, allowing both teams the enjoy a sunny and warm spring afternoon on the field. The first game of the doubleheader went to the Knights.
Pitching from the mound to begin the first inning was sophomore talent Rachelle Heyboer, currently sporting a 3.32 ERA. Scores were tied on both sides for the first three innings of play. It wasn’t until the fourth inning that Heyboar gave up a pair of doubles, resulting in a one run lead for the Flying Dutch. Swinging with a sense of urgency, Calvin picked up the bats in the fifth inning, with senior Sandy Vanleeuwen and sophomore Lea Bareman both connecting for singles.
Heyboar stepped up to the plate in the same inning, with two outs on the board, and delivered a sharp single over second base. Vanleeuwen and Bareman rounded the bases, giving the Knights a 2-1 lead, simultaneously giving pitcher Rachelle Heyboar bragging rights for leading the team both on offense and defense. Calvin rode the lead for the remainder of the game, securing the win behind the pitching of Heyboar, as she retired nine of the last ten Hope batters. The win was Heyboar’s sixth of the season. It was also her 20th complete game of her collegiate career.
The second contest of the afternoon saw the Flying Dutch slowly building a lead over the course of the game, scoring single runs in the second, third, and sixth innings. But the Hope party was almost spoiled, as Calvin waited till the sixth inning to mount their own attack.
Junior Keri Cole started the inning off with a walk, landing her at first and fellow teammate Trisha Balkema at the plate. Trisha Balkema leads the team with a .466 batting average and a team high 27 hits this season. She got her twenty-eight with a single up the left line, bring Cole to second base. The tying score was at the plate. VanLeeuwen stepped up, took a swing, and landed the ball in right field. Her double scored two, and Calvin had closed the score to within one. The rally was set. The winning run settled herself in the batting box. But a ground out to the pitcher ended the Calvin rally, and Calvin left the field with an additional loss; arguably one hit shy of a sweep. They lost their second game 3-2.
Calvin finds themselves in the middle of the MIAA, with a 1-1 conference record. Softball has another double-header scheduled for this Saturday against the 11th ranked Alma squad.
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