April 19, 2008

Game 1 Box Score
Game 2 Box Score

ADRIAN, Mich. - The tale of two games between Adrian and Calvin at Nicolay Field produced a combined 30 runs and 43 hits and each team won by eight runs with Calvin winning 10-2 in game one and Adrian taking the nightcap 13-5. The Bulldogs maintained their lead in the MIAA standings with their game two victory after having their nine-game winning streak snapped in the opener.

Calvin used their bats to pound out 12 hits in the opener. Bobby Rickstad had a shaky outing going 2.1 innings and allowing six hits and a season-high seven earned runs. He threw 60 pitches and struck out one before handing the ball over to Adrian Woods in the third inning. Woods entered the game with Adrian down 5-1 and gave up three more runs with two of those charged to Rickstad. He finished with 1.2 innings, three hits and one earned run. Matt Tuttle and Eric Zatkin combined to throw three innings and give up just one earned run while striking out three.

Matt Schepel hit a pair of home runs (7,8) and totaled three RBI for Calvin. Pieter Groot was 3-for-4 with three RBI for the Knights. Rickstad did go 2-for-2 with a walk at the plate for Adrian. Steve Vanderheyden drove in both runs for the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs got revenged in the second game using a seven-run fifth to break open a close game. Adrian scored in the first five innings but needed their monster fifth to pull away from the Knights. Calvin trailed 6-2 heading into the top of the fifth and scored three times to pull within one. Ryan Domschott relieved starter Alex Webster with runners on first and third and two outs in a 6-4 game. Kyle Fletcher reached on an error to load the bases and Domschott struck out Chris Blacklidge looking to end the inning.

Adrian's bats then erupted as Alex Cowart and Bobby Rickstad hit back-to-back home runs in the frame. Cowart drove his pitch over the right center wall for a two-run blast while Rickstad's solo shot went over the left field fence. Alexander Younce and Todd Meyers each had two-RBI singles in the inning. Webster improved to 5-0 on the mound despite giving up five earned runs in 4.2 innings. Domschott pitched 1.1 innings and allowed one hit with two strikeouts. Nick Vandike threw the seventh inning and gave up a hit with one walk and one strikeout.

Adrian (21-6, 13-3) pounded out 14 hits in the nightcap and the first four batters in the order went a combined 8-for-12 with eight runs scored and nine RBI. Cowart and Rickstad each hit their third home run of the year. Cowart upped his season average to .405 going 5-for-7 on the day.